Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement & Water Action Plan

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The Technical Committee developed a proposal to implement a monitoring and research demonstration project at the Cottonwood Ranch site. You may recall that the 2,650 acre Cottonwood Ranch site was acquired by Nebraska Public Power District and has been included as part of the proposed program. Habitat management activities, aimed at clearing vegetation (approximately 600 acres of riparian woodland!) and widening the Platte River channel, will begin this summer. The monitoring proposal will be used to measure and evaluate changes that occur in response to management activities. IV. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Analysis Colorado got our first general look at some of the alternatives that the EIS team is evaluating. One option that is being looked at is a reduction in consumptive use via water banking. This alternative presents a whole host of issues and Colorado opposes the concept of reducing consumptive use, especially, if the goals of the program can be obtained by retiming water from periods of excess to periods of shortage. Another interesting observation revolves around the issue of sediment. The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has become increasingly focused on sediment transport to and through the critical habitat. Colorado has some concern that the Service may go to extraordinary efforts trying to develop a"new" set of ecological processes that fit how they think the river should operate versus what is needed to ensure that the habitat does not limit the survival of the species. This is a concern because a more narrow focus on flow and sediment is more likely to lead to conflict. V. Budget The proposed program budget continues to be a concern. Recently, the governing body of the Platte River Cooperative Agreement was presented preliminary budget estimates for the proposed program. In 1997, the parties agreed to a$75 million budget over the course of the first increment-the first 13 years of the proposed program. Of that figure, Colorado will contribute $15 million; Wyoming will contribute $7.5 million; Nebraska will contribute $15 million; and the federal government will contribute $38.5 million. Initial estimates indicated that the proposed program could cost as much as $125 million. Colorado has been a strong proponent of establishing and maintaining a program budget. Recently, Howard Propst (one of Governor Owens representatives) presented the Finance Committee of the Platte River Cooperative Agreement with a request to live within the budget. The Finance Committee agreed and allocated the agreed-upon $75 million budget to the three main components of the proposed program: water, land and monitoring and research. The respective committees will report back on how they intend to live within this budget. We will keep you informed on this and other important issues as negotiations continue.