Platte River Channel Becomes a Focus for Platte River Cooperative Program Studies2001

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01/26/01 18:29 FAX 303 445 6331 PLATTE iJVER EIS OFFICE 1 007 the river channel continues to narrow. For this reason, we have begun to develop approaches that would offset the trend in narrowing and help the recovery program to succeed. While detailed plans have not been developed, it appears that the following should be considered: 1. Clearing and leveling some of the wooded islands within the existing channel: This would create a wider and slower flow, resulting in less eros' of and river bed, and more open channel and shallow sand bars, providing t and nest sites for cranes, .terns, and plovers. Returning some of r sa rched on the islands back into the deeper channels will also he uce ero ' s with all aspects of the cooperative program, such actio ould onl , un th w' g landowners. (Clearing wooded islands is alread ing en to i with cooperation of landowners in severa I central Platte.) l v 2. Augmenting flows in the central Platte to attain to Grand Island, for 1 -3 days each spring, by matcl natural South Platte flows: While these flows would be below than the current average high floug from the channel, preventing flow would also help build r preventing loss of nests fr u1nr G) the reach from Lexington rte\ - Le McConaughy with J C` capa ; they would be higher d scour new vegetation Isand into the channel. The pulse for tern and plover nesting, flows. options for sta ing the Platte River channel are still under analysis by our agencies and W. ise, ion our partners, and will be analyzed in a draft environmental impact duled for publication in one year. Further, the States of Nebraska, Wyoming e conducting their own independent review of these issues. Additional on the cooperative program can be found at www.platteriver.ora Ralph Morgenweck, Regional Director Rocky Mountain Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service