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The Water Action Plan Committee recognized that U. S. Forest Service (USFS) vegetation management may <br />tm g y <br />affect flows in the North, South, and Central Platte basins. The WAPC agreed that further study is required to <br />determine these impacts and the USFS's responsibility to address these impacts. In addition, in the review of <br />existing USFS management plans and future amendments to such plans, the FWS will establish a review <br />criterion that vegetation management shall not lead to new depletions or a reduction in runoff from forest <br />lands that adversely affect target flows or Program Projects for Threatened and Endangered Species. <br />Whatever the outcome of these studies and reviews, the signatories will not be released from first increment <br />commitments to reducing shortages to the FWS target flows by an average of 130,000 — 150,000 acre -feet per <br />year. <br />All projects included in the Water Action Plan are voluntary and participation is incentive based. Inclusion of <br />these projects in the Program is subject to reaching an agreement with the involved parties. <br />B. Additional Information Needs <br />The information presented for the projects included in the Water Action Plan is at a reconnaissance level of <br />detail. Feasibility studies, final designs, and environmental permitting will be required before specific projects <br />can be constructed. Where no construction is needed, implementation plans will be needed along with any <br />necessary legislation. <br />Feasibility level studies will be required to address information requirements that are common to most <br />projects. Those information needs are described in part C. of this Process. <br />Feasibility studies also may include the use of demonstration projects as discussed in Chapter 10 of the Study. <br />Demonstration projects include small -scale projects that are constructed to test both the feasibility of larger <br />scale projects and the assumptions used in their evaluation; projects that are not physically constructed, but <br />provide further data through field investigations and measurements; and projects that focus on refining <br />assumptions and methodologies used to analyze an alternative by developing more sophisticated analytic <br />tools. <br />Additional project specific information needs are identified below <br />CNPPID Re-regulating Reservoir: Information will be needed on reservoir seepage losses and the associated <br />effects on surrounding landowners. The willingness of local landowners to sell their land will also need to be <br />evaluated because specific parcels of land are required to construct the reservoirs evaluated. <br />Water Leasing in Nebraska and Wyoming_ The willingness of irrigators to participate in this project must be <br />evaluated before yields and costs can be further defined. This could be accomplished by regional or local <br />questionnaires, public meetings, or many other methods. <br />Water Management Incentives: Baseline conditions will need to be established from which changes can be <br />measured. The willingness of irrigators to participate in this project must be evaluated before yields and costs <br />can be further defined. <br />Groundwater Management: Further investigation and monitoring is required prior to and during <br />implementation of groundwater management programs to ensure the sustainability of these projects. A more <br />in -depth hydrogeologic analysis is needed to address the dynamic response of the groundwater mound in <br />Central Nebraska and the possible firm yield that can be attained without mining the mound. Any project <br />designed to take water from the mound will need to be phased -in so that hydrologic impacts can be monitored <br />and evaluated. <br />Dawson/Gothenburg Canal Recharge Projects: Information is needed on high groundwater levels in the area <br />and the associated effects on surrounding landowners. <br />\ \DN00 \E- DRIVE \PROIECTS\Platte \Work Products \Task 9 \wapc report (Version 7).doc 4 <br />