Platte River Recovery Implementation Partnership Related Brochures and Maps

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COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD Department of Natural Resources Bill Owens, Governor Greg Walcher, DNR Executive Director Peter Evans, CWCB Director September 14, 1999 Paste Rover Endangered. r .„r -- . - - -c es Partnership • �(1>k ri Implementing the Cooperat�.v Y � x,,g . ,,, ri •.y��i,l,11'. �;1. among the States of Nebraska, Wyoming, o orado •1;t,,h"t . and the United States Department of the Interior BACKGROUND The whooping crane,piping plover, the interior least tern, and the pallid sturgeon are listed as threatened or endangered under the A �',”, 4 Li federal ESA. Their habitat includes the Central ` �, \:\ ; a " Platte River Valley in Nebraska. These four species are the "target species" for the °partnership. Federal and non-federal water projects in the Partnership Goals Platte River Bain, including 15 major dams, provide municipal and industrial water The goals of the cooperative initiative are to supplies for about 3.5 million people, irrigate implement a program that will: millions of acres of farmland, and generate /Secure sufficient improvements to the Platte millions of dollars of hydroelectric power. ' River habitat for the target species so current These projects also provide flood control, and future water use is not likely to jeopardize recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat. the species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) • /Provide ESA compliance for existing and concluded that habitat for the target species any new water uses. has been reduced by these water diversions and other land use changes. Many water /Prevent additional species from becoming projects in the Platte River Basin are now or threatened or endangered. soon will be reviewed by USFWS. These /Ensure impacts on the Central Platte habitat projects include the Colorado-Big Thompson from future water development in a state are Project; the Corps of Engineers' reservoirs in prevented or offset within that state. the Denver area; and a large number of private water storage and diversion projects,primarily in Colorado, which require permit renewals from the U.S. Forest Service.