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• <br />• <br />Endangered and Threatened Species of the Platte River <br />BOX S -2 <br />Governance Committee's 10 Review Questions <br />The Governance Committee offers these questions to focus NAS in their scientific review. Not <br />all members of the GC agree with all of the questions. However, we are unanimous that the <br />NAS not review the Program, but stay focused on the science related to the questions. During the <br />implementation of the review, individual GC members expect that they will have the opportunity <br />to provide the NAS with their views on the specific issues and areas of concern to be reviewed. <br />In reviewing the government's assessments, the committee should consider how the following 10 <br />questions apply to them. <br />1. Do current Central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the whooping <br />crane? Do they limit its recovery? <br />2. Is the current designation of Central Platte River habitat as "critical habitat" for the whooping <br />crane supported by the existing science? <br />3. Do current Central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the piping <br />plover? Do they limit its recovery? <br />4. Is the current designation of Central Platte River habitat as "critical habitat" for the piping <br />plover supported by the existing science? <br />5. Do current Central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the interior <br />least tern? Do they limit its recovery? <br />6. Do current habitat conditions in the Lower Platte (below the mouth of the Elkhorn River) <br />affect the likelihood of survival of the pallid sturgeon? Do they limit its recovery? <br />7. Were the processes and methodologies used by the USFWS in developing its Central Platte <br />River Instream Flow Recommendations (i.e. species, annual pulse flows, & peak flows) <br />scientifically valid? <br />8. Are the characteristics described in the USFWS habitat suitability guidelines for the Central <br />Platte River supported by the existing science and are they essential to the survival of the <br />listed avian species? To the recovery of those species? Are there other Platte River habitats <br />that provide the same values that are essential to the survival of the listed avian species and <br />their recovery? <br />9. Are the conclusions of the Department of the Interior about the interrelationship of sediment, <br />flow, vegetation, and channel morphology in the Central Platte River supported by the <br />existing science? <br />10. What were the key information and data gaps that the NAS identified during their <br />review? <br />4 <br />