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

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CWCB Members Status of Platte River Cooperative Agreement Implementation September 21, 1998 operation of transmountain diversion projects, and that diverting water from the Colorado River basin for the purposes of endangered species in Nebraska would be a violation of the Colorado River Compact. Notwithstanding the exchange of viewpoints thus far, it is apparent that communication regarding the River District's concerns and the views of other parties can be improved. Additional opportunities for the parties to exchange view points constructively and reach mutual accommodation likely will be necessary. The CWCB may want to consider sanctioning such opportunities. • The NEPA process currently is on schedule to be complete by the end of 2000. However, recent developments within both the Land and Water sub - committees, whose work is essential to filling in gaps in the proposed program, threaten to delay the NEPA compliance process. These are discussed below. III. Water sub - committee: This sub - committee's primary purpose over the next several months is to fill in gaps in the proposed program's water management component so that the NEPA process can fully analyze it as the preferred alternative. Back rid_ In 1994 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed desired average target flows for the Big Bend Reach. In the aggregate, these targets exceed average annual flows by 417,000 acre - feet. In the Cooperative Agreement, the parties committed to steps designed to reduce shortages with respect to targets by 130,000 — 150,000 acre -feet over the program's 13 to 16 year first increment. The Service has agreed this level of shortage reduction would offset all existing depletions in the Platte basin. The Cooperative Agreement identifies three re- regulation projects with the aggregate capacity to reduce shortages by 70,000 acre -feet annually. Of this total, 10,000 acre -feet would be provided by the Tamarack Plan, a proposed managed groundwater recharge project in the lower South Platte River, 20,000 acre -feet would be provided through an enlargement to Wyoming's Pathfinder Reservoir, and 40,000 acre -feet would be provided through a dedicated environmental account in Nebraska's Lake McConaughy. To obtain the balance of shortage reduction capacity (60,000 -- 80,000 acre - feet), the three states agreed to jointly fund an independent analysis of additional water conservation / supply projects. Boyle Engineering, Inc. has been retained to conduct this analysis, which now is in the third month of an approximately 18 -month study. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has entered into a $260,000 contract, effective July 1, 1998, in accordance with Colorado's agreement to pay for 40% of the study cost. In addition, each state committed in the Cooperative Agreement that water development activities after July 1, 1998 would not further contribute to shortages. The parties agreed to Colorado's Future Depletions Plan, and further agreed to allow Nebraska and Wyoming up to three years to develop their respective plans to address future depletions. Issues / Developments: 3