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II. Interior Least Tern <br />A. Program Effects on Habitat <br />1) How does the Program affect the amount, quality (suitability) and distribution of <br />riverine least tern nesting habitat in the central Platte? <br />a) How do changes in land and river flow management affect the amount, <br />quality and distribution of wide, active channels? <br />b) How do Program changes in river flow management affect the amount, <br />distribution and quality of riverine sand bars for nesting? <br />C) How do Program changes in river flow management affect fish community <br />structure, species diversity, species composition and resulting availability <br />(i.e., size, shape and body depth of prey)? <br />2) What effect do Program changes river flow management have on the sustainability <br />of riverine nesting habitat? <br />a) Is the river morphology and sandbar macroform nesting habitat sustainable <br />based on the available sediment supply? <br />(1) Is supply sufficient to maintain suitable riverine nesting habitat in <br />dynamic equilibrium ? <br />(2) What is the long -term effect of program water management on <br />availability, transport and deposition of sediment? <br />b) How does discharge affect riparian vegetation encroachment? <br />(1) What flow regimes provide the greatest quantity of suitable sandbar <br />habitat during the summer breeding season? <br />(2) Can EA releases contribute effectively to maintenance of bare <br />substrate? <br />(3) Do measurements of discharge, sediment, vegetation and channel <br />morphology support the sediment/vegetation model? <br />C) How do land management practices affect sustainability of riverine least tern <br />habitat? <br />(1) What are the short- and long -term effects of channel widening on <br />channel morphology (on site and downstream)? <br />(2) What are the short- and long -term effects of mechanical island <br />leveling on channel morphology (on site and downstream)? <br />(3) How does treeibrush removal affect short and long -term quantity and <br />distribution least tern nesting habitat? <br />(4) How do the above land management practices affect fish habitat <br />(e.g., WUA, Hydraulic habitat niche distribution, backwaters and <br />riparian wetlands)? <br />7 <br />