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CEN -1 <br />(cont.) <br />COMMENTS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER AND <br />IRRIGATION DISTRICT <br />available to the Projects.2' Near the Big Bend reach and <br />throughout the North Platte River Valley, groundwater <br />pumping for agricultural and municipal use also affects <br />flows. Development on or near the river's edge likewise <br />influences habitat availability. <br />Basin -wide problems require basin -wide solutions. <br />Central believes that a plan developed in accordance with <br />the recently signed MOA would be a major step toward <br />providing a framework for such a solution. Whether or not <br />the basin's environmental issues are resolved in that <br />manner, the Districts cannot be asked to do more than their <br />fair share to improve present conditions. <br />A. The Projects' Role in the Platte River <br />Basin is Limited <br />When assigning enhancement responsibilities to <br />these Projects, others contributing to current basin <br />conditions must be taken into account. Those contributing <br />cover a large geographic area, include a vast number of <br />players, and have a variety of interests." The Staff <br />it RDEIS at 3 -2 to 3 -6. <br />` -' The North Platte flows 728 miles from north - central <br />Colorado through three states to its confluence with the <br />South Platte. Its 30,900 square mile basin lies 5t in <br />Colorado, 67t in Wyoming and 28t in Nebraska. The South <br />Platte runs for 423 miles from central Colorado northeast <br />through Denver to the confluence. Its 24,300 square mile <br />basin lies 80.11 in Colorado, 8.4t in Wyoming, and 11.51 in <br />Nebraska. The Lexington to Chapman portion of the Platte's <br />"Big Bend" reach is from 50 to 130 miles downstream of the <br />confluence. <br />(continued...) <br />M-M <br />RESPONSES TO CENTRAL NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER AND <br />IRRIGATION DISTRICT <br />