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Purpose of the operations. J-2 Regulating Reservoirs The site was geographically and hydraulically preferable to other alternatives and obtain- The J-2 Regulating Reservoirs Project is part ing a large and reliable volume of water from of a larger plan to enhance flows in the Platte the project was found to be considerably River for the benefit of threatened and en- more cost-efficient than a combination of dangered species and to provide integrated smaller water projects. water management benefits for Nebraska. The reservoirs will be located south of the Benefits to the Platte River Platte River between Lexington and Overton, Recovery Implementation Nebraska. Water from The Central Nebraska Program Public Power and Irrigation District's (Central) hydro-irrigation system will be retimed in the The Platte River Program is a cooperative reservoirs and then returned to the Platte effort by Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and River for the benefit of threatened and en- the U.S. Department of the Interior, Platte dangered species. The reservoirs also help Basin water-user stakeholders, and conserva- Central to more efficiently use its limited wa- tion groups to provide benefits for threat- ter supply, allowing for more power genera- ened and endangered species (specifically tion with the same amount of water. whooping cranes, interior least terns, piping Construction of the reservoirs is a joint effort plovers, and pallid sturgeon) along the Platte by Central, the Platte River Recovery and River in Nebraska. Water users in all three Implementation Program (Platte River Pro- states also benefit from the Program because gram), the State of Nebraska, and several it serves as the "reasonable and prudent al- Platte River basin Natural Resources Districts. ternative" for water projects that might oth- erwise face difficulties in obtaining permits The J-2 Regulating Reservoirs have been because of the Endangered Species Act. studied extensively and many alternatives — including variations of the current configura- One of the Platte River Program's main ob- tion — were also examined. It was conclud- jectives is to improve river flows for threat- ed that the reservoirs are the best alternative ened and endangered species, by reducing to address many issues associated with the "shortages to target flows," and developing Program's objectives,the state's need for the capability to create small "pulse flows." offsets to depletions, and Central's project The J-2 Regulating Reservoirs are one of the