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resulting in reduced forage. A significant reduction of forage could result in <br />reduced larval and juvenile fitness and may be a mechanism which would <br />contribute to the reduced rec;ruitment experienced by the pallid sturgeon. Adult <br />forage may also be reduced by any loss of floodplain connectivity. The <br />Program's provisions addressing the selection of Program water projects and <br />the Program's various new iiepletions plans limit reductions in spring peak <br />flow magnitudes. Depending on the outcome of investigations of the need for <br />and potential benefits of sediment augmentation/pulse flow measures <br />identified in the Program, Program pulse flows may further reduce or <br />eliminate impacts on spring peak flow magnitude. If a relationship among <br />spring peak flow magnitudes, floodplain connectivity and needs of pallid <br />sturgeon is confirmed in Program studies and other Program-referenced <br />studies of the biological neFds of the pallid sturgeon, and an impact from <br />Program Activities is deterniined to be detrimental to the species, the Program <br />includes provisions requiring implementation of an appropriate conservation <br />measure that either negates or offsets the occurrence of adverse impacts on the? <br />pallid sturgeon. Thus, althaugh this type of take is difficult to quantify, we <br />believe that it would be low. <br />c. Many questions remain about pallid sturgeon biological needs, but some data <br />suggest a need for shallow water spawning and nursery habitat. If so, the <br />processes of shallow water habitat creation and maintenance by sediment <br />transport and deposition may be reduced in the lower Platte area if there is a <br />significant reduction in flows. The Program's provisions addressing the <br />selection of Program water projects and the Program's various new depletions <br />plans limit reductions in spring peak flow magnitudes. Depending on the <br />outcome of investigations af the need for and potential benefits of sediment <br />augmentation/pulse flow measures identified in the Program, the Program <br />could further reduce or eliminate impacts on flows and "free up" sediment <br />from the central Platte that may in turn become available in the lower Platte <br />River. If a relationship among spring peak flow magnitudes, shallow water <br />spawning and nursery habit:at and needs of pallid sturgeon is confirmed in <br />Program studies and other Program-referenced studies of the biological needs <br />of the pallid sturgeon, and an impact from Program activities is determined to <br />be detrimental to the species, the Program includes provisions requiring <br />implementation of an appropriate conservation measure that either negates or <br />offsets the occurrence of adverse impacts on the pallid sturgeon. Thus, <br />although this type of take is difficult to quantify, we believe that it would be <br />low. <br />d. An important consideration during the first 13 years, and likely into future, is <br />that Program-created or augmented flows for sediment transport and habitat <br />restoration or creation or for other Program purposes may also result in <br />changes in the discharge patterns that could modify pallid sturgeon habitat.