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I � <br />the scoring process and therefore did not count towards the 130,000 of /year <br />goal. Therefore, the Service has determined that the actual amount of <br />instream flow shortage reduction of the RPA will be an average of 130,000 <br />of /year. <br />In addition, by integrating the RPA for these Projects with the CA and the <br />proposed Program, at least 10,000 acres of habitat in the central Platte River <br />area will be protected and restored during the initial increment of the <br />Program; with a long -term objective of perpetually protecting and restoring <br />approximately 29,000 acres of suitable habitat in ten habitat complexes <br />located along the central Platte River between Lexington and Chapman, <br />Nebraska. The Service believes that the combination of the land restoration, <br />water reregulation, and water conservation provided by the RPA is sufficient <br />to offset the impact of the proposed relicensing action. <br />Incidental Take <br />The Service has determined that the proposed action is likely to result in <br />incidental take of the least tern and the piping plover, and recommends the <br />following measures be accomplished by the Districts to minimize the amount or <br />extent of such take: <br />• reduce the frequency of sporadic discharges from project facilities (e.g., ' <br />J -2 Return) during the nesting season to reduce the frequency of nest <br />flooding at riverine nesting sites in the river reach between Lexington <br />and Columbus, Nebraska; ' <br />• develop at least one additional riverine nesting site along the central <br />Platte River; and ' <br />• actively promote least tern and piping plover conservation along the <br />Platte River through implementation of a public outreach and education ' <br />program to curtail loss of reproductive success on areas controlled by the <br />Districts. ' <br />Conclusion <br />Based on the biological and hydrological analyses presented in the biological ' <br />opinion, the Service believes that implementation of the RPA and the AP in <br />concert with a basin -wide CA and implementation of a Program will avoid the ' <br />likelihood of jeopardy to federally listed species and destruction or adverse <br />modification of designated critical habitat. The Service believes that the <br />approach of integrating the proposed relicensing action into a basin -wide I <br />