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Page 2 <br />wat - related activities' affecting flow volume and timing in the central and lower reaches of <br />the 3latte River in Nebraska. The action area for the PBO included the Platte River basin <br />upsi ream of the confluence with the Loup River in Nebraska, and the mainstem of the Platte <br />Riv r downstream of the Loup River confluence. <br />Federal Action addressed by the PBO included the following: <br />1) funding and implementation of the PRRIP for 13 years, the anticipated first stage of <br />the PRRIP; and <br />2) continued operation of existing and certain new water - related activities2 including, <br />but not limited to, Reclamation and Service projects that are (or may become) <br />dependent on the PRRIP for ESA compliance during the first 13 -year stage of the <br />PRRIP for their effects on the target species;, whooping crane critical habitat, and <br />other federally listed specive that rely on central and lower Platte River habitats. <br />The PBO established a two - tiered consultation process for future federal actions on existing <br />and new water - related activities subject to section 7(a)(2) of the ESA, with issuance of the <br />PB being Tier I and all subsequent site - specific project analyses constituting Tier 2 <br />con ltations covered by the PBO. Under this tiered consultation process, the Service will <br />pro uce tiered biological opinions when it is determined that future federal actions are "likely <br />to w Iversely affect" federally listed species and/or designated critical habitat in the PRRIP <br />action area and the project is covered by the PBO. If necessary, the biological opinions will <br />also consider potential effects to other listed species and critical habitat affected by the <br />Fedwal Action that were not within the scope of the Tier 1 PBO (e.g., direct or indirect effects <br />to li aed species occurring outside of the PRRIP action area). <br />I Th term "water - related activities" means activities and aspects of activities which (1) occur in the Platte River <br />basit upstream of the confluence of the Loup River with the Platte River, and (2) may affect Platte River flow <br />quay ity or timing, including, but not limited to, water diversion, storage and use activities, and land use <br />activ ties. Changes in temperature and sediment transport will be considered impacts of a "water related activity" <br />to th4 extent that such changes are caused by activities affecting flow quantity or timing. Impacts of "water <br />relati d activities" do not include those components of land use activities or discharges of pollutants that do not <br />affec flow quantity or timing.. <br />2 ` sting water related activities" include surface water or hydrologically connected groundwater activities <br />implo mented on or before July 1, 1997. "New water - related activities" include new surface water or <br />hydr logically connected groundwater activities including both new projects and expansion of existing projects, <br />both hose subject to and not subject to section 7(a)(2) of the ESA, which may affect the quantity or timing of <br />wate reaching the associated habitats and which are implemented after July 1, 1997. <br />3 Th "target species" are the endangered whooping crane (Gros americana), the interior least tern (Sternula <br />anti/ rum), the pallid sturgeon (Scaphbynchus albus), and the threatened northern Great Plains population of <br />the Jping plover (Charadrius melodus). <br />4 O listed species present in the central and lower Platte River include the western prairie fringed orchid <br />(pltheca praeclara), American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), and Eskimo curlew (Nwnenius <br />