Specific Comments on Platte River Draft EIS

• File Number: 8461.100
• Description: Adaptive Management Workgroup
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 9/17/2004
• Author: CWCB
• Title: Specific Comments on Platte River Draft EIS
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Board Memo

area, sometimes called the ABig Bend@ area
which the whooping cranes passed before sp
south and their breeding grounds to the north
of the species here than in any other part c
records indicate continued heavy use withir
indicates that the combination of the Platte
rainwater basins, and farmlands form a uni
valuable part of the entire migration route of t:
this habitat association, especially in the wate
an adverse effect on the surviving population i
)f the Platte River, was a focal point through
reading out to their wintering grounds to the
There are more old records of the presence
f the migration route, and recent confirmed
the last few years. Available information
River channel, and adjacent wet meadows,
lue association of habitats that is the most
ie species. Reduction in the quality or size of
r level of the area, could be expected to have
of the species."
In the final rule published may 15, 1978, USFW
i.e., the Rainwater Basins. However, it left intact
to Denham, Nebraska.
deleted the area to the south of the Platte River,
e designation of the Platte River from Lexington
In the final ruling, the Service failed to disting ish between nesting habitat at Aransas, roosting
habitat in Canada, and migration habitat used n the migration corridor. USFWS ignored the
confirmed sighting data on the Platte River and the results of the radio-tracking survey that was
conducted in early 1980s by USFWS. The con irmed sighting data available from 1942 through
1977 showed that observations of whooping crane use on the Platte River were scant and rare. Only
1.0 percent of the whooping crane population cros ing the Platte was observed using the Platte River
from 1942 to 1977.
The confirmed sighting data for 1942 to 1977
central Nebraska as critical habitat.
not support designation of the Platte River in
Data since 1978 also does not support designati
percent of the whooping crane population crossin
Platte River between 1978 and 2002. This low
efforts along the Platte since 1978, and a populati(
The proposed rule rationalized designation of criti
the south" in part based on "Historical data show
of the Platte River was the focal point through w
out to the south to their wintering grounds and th
old records of the presence of species here than i
confirmed si htin s indicate heav use within the
is, at best, grossly inaccurate, as indicated by
demonstrates that the Service ignored the confi
critical habitat.
The statement "There are more old records of the
migration route ..." reflects the failure to unde
records" are addressed extensively in the EA repor
1 of the Platte River critical habitat. Only 2.4
the Platte was actually being observed using the
ercentage persists despite intensive observation
increase from 75 to 185.
al habitat for the "Platte River and wet prairie to
hat this area, sometimes called the Big Bend area
ich the whooping crane passed before spreading
ir breeding grounds to the north. There are more
any other part of the migration route, and recent
last few ears." The latter part of this statement
the confirmed sighting record. The statement
ed sighting data on the Platte in designating the
)resence of species here than any other part of the
stand or analyze those "old records." The "old
(1985) on whooping crane migration dynamics.
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