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a 1 <br />Proposed Federal Action <br />The Commission's preferred alternative presented in its biological assessment <br />provides for new licenses for continued operation of both Projects with the <br />following conditions: <br />Operational Guidelines: The District's would be required to meet <br />specified baseflow levels in the central Platte River at Overton under <br />wet, transitional, and dry conditions. The quantities of these baseflows <br />would vary depending on reservoir levels and expected inflow to Lake <br />McConaughy. The proposed baseflows are not intended to provide entire <br />water needs for federally listed species, but only a portion of the needs <br />and when those needs are compatible with other operational objectives. <br />Environmental Account (EA): A portion of the Projects' stored water in <br />Lake McConaughy would be allocated each year to an EA dedicated to fish <br />and wildlife purposes. The amount allocated in any single year is based <br />upon the combined total of the reservoir level as of October 1 and the <br />expected inflows from October 1 through March 31 of the next year using a <br />formula -based approach. The amount allocated to the EA in any single year <br />would range from 0 (during dry years when habitat needs are greatest) to <br />100,000 af, with an average of about 64,400 of annually, including 11,300 <br />of of net conserved water added to the EA. The Nebraska Game and Parks <br />Commission would manage the EA and possess the sole authority to release <br />water from the EA on a daily basis pursuant to operating criteria <br />developed by the Districts and approved by the Commission. The Districts <br />would be required to apply for and obtain a storage -use permit from the <br />State of Nebraska to legally protect the water stored in and released from <br />the EA for fish and wildlife purposes. <br />Water Conservation: The Districts would be required to conduct a study <br />for development and implementation of a water conservation program. The <br />Commission does not specify a required level of water conservation, but <br />estimates that 10 to 20 percent of surface water irrigation demand could <br />be conserved by the Districts. It also specifies that 50 percent of the <br />net conservation savings (and all savings of water currently lost to the <br />Republican River basin) would be used to supplement instream flows for the <br />benefit of fish and wildlife resources. In no case would the net <br />conserved water be available to increase irrigated cropland acreage. <br />River Channel and Land Restoration: The Districts would be required to <br />develop and implement a plan to restore, protect, and manage riverine and <br />adjacent non - wooded wet meadow /wetland habitat for whooping cranes and <br />I � <br />I I <br />I I <br />