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Hypotheses <br />Based on the Program Document and attachments, meeting notes, and discussions with <br />Cooperative Agreement members. <br />1. Pallid sturgeon <br />1. Water related activities at times have reduced the quantity or rate of flow in <br />the lower Platte River during the months of February through July causing <br />negative impacts to pallid s_ turgeon. <br />2. Current habitat conditions on the lower Platte River do not adversely affect <br />the likelihood of survival and recovery of the pallid sturgeon because that <br />reach of river appears to retain several habitat characteristics preferred by the <br />species. <br />3. Further alterations of discharge patterns or channel features that modify those <br />characteristics might irreparably alter this habitat for pallid sturgeon use, loss <br />of Platte River habitat would probably result in a catastrophic reduction in the <br />pallid surgeon population, and any recovery effort for the pallid sturgeon will <br />most likely include the lower Platte River. <br />4. Flows in the central Platte River are important in the maintenance of pallid <br />sturgeon habitat in the lower Platte River. <br />5. Flows in the central Platte River are not important in the maintenance of pallid <br />sturgeon habitat in the lower Platte River. <br />6. Wild pallid sturgeon select areas on the lower Platte River for use based on <br />micro- and macro-habitat characteristics. <br />7. Flow and sediment transport are important in the creation and maintenance of <br />pallid sturgeon habitat in the lower Platte River. <br />8. Areas of pallid sturgeon use indicates areas where pallid sturgeon spawning is <br />likely to occur and spawning areas can be further defined based on where <br />larvae are collected. <br />H. Central Platte River Flows <br />l. The ability to deliver 5000 cfs of Program water for three (3) days to the <br />upper end of the associated habitat (at Overton gage) for pulse flows when <br />other demands on water are low and the ability to deliver 800 cfs at the habitat <br />during the irrigation season are necessary to create andlor maintain in-channel <br />habitat for the three target bird species. <br />2. River flows are essential in the creation/maintenance of habitat for terns and <br />?,,.--- --, <br />plovers including reduction in predation and inundation of nests and the <br />abundance and composition of prey base. <br />3. The flows in the central Platte River are not important in the creation/ <br />maintenance of habitat for terns and plovers.