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Ea Nebraska Game and Parks Commission <br />2200 N. 33rd St. / P.O. Box 30370 / Lincoln, NE 68503 -0370 <br />May 26, 2009 Phone: 402- 471 - 0641/ Fax: 402- 471 -5528 / www.OutdoorNebraska.org <br />Official File Copy <br />Brian Dunnigan Department of Natural Resources <br />PRRIP <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />301 Centennial Mall South Folder: 07C08a <br />Lincoln, NE 68509 -4676 Scanned Date: 20090610 <br />Document ID: 271 <br />RE: Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Flows as they impact the lower Platte River <br />Dear Mr. Dunnigan, <br />This letter is in response to discussions held between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission <br />staff (Commission), Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service (USFWS) regarding the lower Platte River, its tributaries and the Platte River Recovery <br />Implementation Program (PRRIP). <br />The pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhyncus albus) is a state and federally endangered fish. This species <br />has a complex life cycle that requires habitat with certain depth, velocity and river connectivity. <br />Least terns (Sternula antillarum athalassos) are state and federally endangered and piping <br />plovers (Charadrius melodus) are state and federally threatened. These birds rely on sandbars <br />for nesting which are created by a dynamic hydrograph. All three of these species utilize the <br />available habitat in lower Platte River. The lower Platte River is considered to be the reach of <br />the Platte River beginning at the confluence with the Loup River and ending at the confluence <br />with the Missouri River. The hydrology of the lower Platte River is heavily influenced by <br />contributions from the Loup River System, the Elkhorn River and Salt Creek. <br />The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Commission) has received new information from <br />studies conducted by Dr. Ed Peters and Dr. Jim Parham that targeted the needs of sturgeon <br />species in the lower Platte River. Additional hydrological analysis of the lower Platte River and <br />its tributaries has recently been completed by Dr. Parham, which includes hydrological analysis <br />of flows required for sandbar creation which provides necessary habitat for least terns and piping <br />plovers. These species utilize the lower Platte River and require the semblance of the natural <br />hydrograph that remains in this reach of the Platte River. The results of these two studies <br />indicate that the hydrograph of the lower Platte River has been degraded to the level that the <br />continued issuance of new water use may negatively affect the least tern, piping plover and pallid <br />sturgeon. <br />The PRRIP is designed to address the needs of the least tern, piping plover and whooping cranes <br />in the Central Platte River and also acknowledges the need to address the needs of the pallid <br />sturgeon in the lower Platte River. The long -term goal of PRRIP is to "improve and maintain the <br />associated habitats" of these species. Within the first increment, one of the objectives is to <br />reduce shortages to target flows in the central Platte River, through re- regulation and water <br />conservation/supply projects. This will result in an overall net increase of water flowing into the <br />RECEIVED <br />MAY 2 8 2009 <br />Printed on recycled paper with wy ink. <br />DEPARTMENT OF <br />NATURALRESOURGES <br />