Volume I Biological Opinion

• Description: related to the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership ‎(aka Platte River Recovery Implementation Program or PRRIP)‎
• State: NE
• Date: 7/1/1997
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Island, Nebraska
• Title: Volume 1 - Biological Opinoin On the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Preferred Alternative for the Kingsley Dam Project ‎(No. 1417)‎ and North Platte/Keystone Dam Project ‎(No. 1835)‎
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Biological Opinion

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existence of the whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, and pallid
sturgeon, and to avoid the likelihood for destruction or adverse modification
of federally designated whooping critical habitat. Implementation of the RPA
described below is needed to offset the impacts of the proposed action and
avoid the likelihood of jeopardy to the federally listed species and the
ecosystem upon which the continued existence of these species depend.
On July 1, 1997, the Governors of the three basin States (i.e., Nebraska,
Wyoming, and Colorado) and the Secretary of the Interior signed a
"Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to
Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska" (CA).
The purpose of the CA is to implement aspects of the recovery plans for the
four target species (i.e., least tern, piping plover, whooping crane, and
pallid sturgeon) relating to their associated habitats along and within the
Platte River downstream from Lexington, Nebraska by providing for the
following:
• implementation of research, analysis, and other measures that will benefit
the target species and their associated habitats;
• implementation of efforts to acquire, restore, and manage land or
interests in lands so as to provide and improve the associated habitats
for the target species:
• development and implementation of certain water management, conservation,
and supply measures;
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• development and implementation of a basin -wide "Platte River Recovery
Implementation Program" (Program): and '
• establishment of a governance structure for carrying out activities under
the CA and subsequent Program. '
Some of the objectives of the proposed Program are as follows:
serve as the RPA to offset the effect f - '
• s o existing and new Federal water
related activities in the Platte River basin that, in the absence of such ,
a Program, would be found by the Service to likely jeopardize the
continued existence of federally listed species and destroy or adversely
modify designated critical habitat: '
• secure defined benefits for the target species and their associated Platte
River habitats so as to assist in their conservation and recovery; and ,