Specific Comments on Platte River Draft EIS

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Brooking whose most active observer-corresp( reach of the river included in the critical habitat Graphical analysis of all whooping crane sighti pattern of use consistent with the species' opp migratory stopover sites. The period from 1948-1965 is also noteworthy in increase from 21 to 42 birds, although no whoor very few were sighted in Nebraska) over this 18 stopovers may have occurred on the river during t Since the early 1970's, extensive study and : including university - and government - sponsor, state and federal agencies and private environmE reduced the likelihood of undetected whoopir. Nevertheless, from 1970 through 1984 - a peri about 50 to 85 birds and sightings were incr( involving 15 birds were recorded on the Platte Ri Viewed another way, the number of whooping cra years, as determined from the Confirmed Sightin estimated 3,111 stopover opportunities that have each time a migrant bird flies over the river). Du whooping cranes observed on the Platte has been stopover opportunities. Confirmed records for cc similar stopover use over time (expressed as a efforts along the Platte have increased and the ; more than doubled during this 20-year period. )over Areas in Ni whether the Rainwater Basin and Niobrara R effort as the Platte River, confirmed sightings have been observed in the standing-water wet: the two rivers. This finding appears to be con marshes, and other standing-water wetlands a surveys. Moreover, over this 35-year period, j the Niobrara River than on the Platte. were located in the Kearney area along the on the Platte River from 1912-1984 reflects a Zistic (or nontraditional) strategy for selecting the migrant population experienced a two-fold cranes were observed on the Platte River (and r intervaL It is probable that some undetected : years. vey efforts have focused on the Platte River, research, as well as active monitoring by various al groups. This active attention has undoubtedly crane stopovers on the river in recent years. when the migratory population increased from ing in Nebraska - only 5 confirmed sightings s observed on the Platte River during the past 45 List (1940-1964), is equal to 0.8 percent of the ;curred (where one stopover opportunity occurs g the past 20 years (1965-1984), the number of uivalent to about 1 percent of the corresponding ecutive 5-year intervals from 1965-1984 reflect rcentage of opportunities), even though survey - of the Wood Buffalo-Aransas population has braska (Section 3.4): Although it is not known in Nebraska have received as much observation i 1950-1984 indicate that more whooping cranes of the Rainwater Basin than on or near either of it with the species' tendency to use small ponds, the flyway as documented during radio-tracking whooping cranes are known to have stopped on Implications (Section 3.5): In light of recent information, and given the small size of the whooping crane population throughout recorded history, it is improbable that habitat alterations along the Platte River or other sites along the migration comdor ave been limiting to the survival and recovery of the species. This conclusion is supported by the fo lowing lines of evidence: 1) The 70-mile reach of the Platte River be een Overton and Grand Island, Nebraska (which includes much of the designated critical hab tat zone) currently serves as a staging area for a third-of-a-million sandhill cranes, a congene ic species generally considered to have roosting habitat requirements similar to those of the w ooping crane. From a comparative standpoint, the