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regimes caused by dams and diversions upstream. 10 In addition, river main stem <br />reservoirs now trap much of the sediment load resulting in less aggradation and more <br />degradation of the river bed and subsequently less formation of suitable sandbar <br />nesting habitat. No suitable sandbars with relatively bare sand that terns and plovers <br />can use for nesting occur between North Platte and Lexington, and few occur <br />between Lexington and the Loup River confluence. I I Remaining nesting areas on <br />the central Platte River are typically low in elevation above water level and occur in <br />the few existing wide channels. Nests and chicks are frequently lost on these low <br />sandbars along the central Platte River during small flow increases. 12 Most birds on <br />the central Platte River nest on sand pits. More sand pit than sandbar sites are used <br />because of the poor condition of central Platte River sandbars. 13 Sand pits provide <br />most of the nesting substrate for least terns and piping plovers between North Platte <br />and Lexington (upper Platte), and most terns and plovers nest on sand pits along the <br />central Platte. 14 In contrast, the lower Platte River (Columbus, Nebraska to the <br />Missouri River confluence) has not undergone as extensive habitat changes as the <br />central Platte River. 15 High bare sandbars and wide channels are common on the <br />lower Platte River. 16 The lower Platte and Loup rivers still experience periodic <br />scouring flows. 17 <br />Early records document least terns and piping plovers in Nebraska and along the <br />Platte River in the 1800's.18 Among the accounts included Duke Paul Wilhelm's <br />observation of the least tern at the mouth of the Platte River during his journey in <br />1823. Lewis and Clark recorded piping plovers and least terns along the Missouri <br />River in Nebraska. Their sighting of the piping plover was prior to the 1823 <br />designation of the species. Lewis frequently observed least terns nesting on Missouri <br />10 Williams, G. P. 1978. <br />Currier et al. 1985. <br />Ziewitz, J. W., J. G. Sidle, and J J. Dinan. 1992. Habitat conservation for nesting <br />Least Terns and Piping Plovers on the Platte River, Nebraska. Prairie Naturalist 20:1 -20. <br />11 Ziewitz et al. 1992. <br />12 Kirsch, E. M. and G. R. Lingle. 1993. Habitat use and nesting success of Least Terns <br />on the Platte River, Nebraska. Proceedings of the Missouri River and its tributaries: Least <br />Tern and Piping Plover Symposium. Brookings, South Dakota: South Dakota State <br />University. <br />13 Ziewitz et al. 1992. <br />14 Sidle, J G., E. C. Wilson, J. J. Dinan, J. Lackey, G. Winfield, B. K. Good, G. R. <br />Lingle, and R. G. Plettner. 1991. The 1991 census of Least Terns and Piping Plovers in <br />Nebraska. Nebraska Bird Review 4:133 -149. <br />Kirsch and Lingle 1993. <br />15 Kirsch and Lingle 1993. <br />16 Ziewitz et al. 1992. <br />17 Sidle et al. 1992. <br />18 Ducey, James E. 2000. Birds of the Untamed West: The History of Birdlifie in <br />Nebraska, 1750 to 1875. Making History. Omaha, Nebraska. <br />7 <br />