Platte River Recovery Implementation Partnership Related Brochures and Maps

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First Increment Goals (2007-2019) Water Plan The overall water objective of the Water Plan for The Water Plan is the road map developed to meet the First Increment is to improve flows by an the First Increment Goals. A study titled average of 130,000 to 150,000 acre-feet per year "Reconnaissance-Level Water Action Plan"was (by reducing shortages to "target flows"). Target prepared in 2000 and utilized to formulate the flows were developed by the USFWS and are the way the Program will compare river flows and Program's Water Plan. The study identified measure progress. potential water conservation and water supply projects (such as storage reservoirs, ground water One acre-foot is the amount of water required to recharge, water leasing, and improved water cover one acre to a depth of one foot and equals management) and estimated the amount of water about 325,580 gallons. For comparison,the that could be re-regulated/conserved and credited capacity of Lake McConaughy at a normal full toward the Program objectives. It described the level is approximately 1,740,000 acre-feet. process for moving projects through feasibility studies and implementation,with the approval of The Program will increase flows through using the Governance Committee. The study will be existing projects and retiming return flows to the updated in 2009 and will focus the Program on river. Three initial projects: Tamarack I in water projects that can be implemented to achieve Colorado,the Pathfinder Modification in Wyoming, and the Nebraska Environmental the First Increment Objectives. Account, will contribute to meeting the water ' objective. If put into action and operated as described in the Program Water Plan, the three .p�� -,•.- '� projects will be credited for an average of 80,000 ��.�, l, 1 Yr • acre-feet per year toward the First Increment water � objective. .- ; 1" ' <l fi The remaining portion of the water objective ° ¢x: ` (50,000 to 70,000 acre-feet per year)will be met through a program of water conservation and water supply activities. Potential projects are identified in the Program Water Action Plan, which will be i' updated in 2009. Under most circumstances, the . iitzmer- /2006 water used for the "pulse flows"will also count toward the objective. New Water Related Activities The flow objectives described above are intended to improve Platte River flows compared to flow Contact: conditions when the Cooperative Agreement was Jerry F. Kenny, Ph.D. signed. In addition, water use has increased or will Executive Director increase above 1997 levels and must be offset. 3710 Central Avenue, Suite E The three states and the federal government each Kearney,NE 68847 have plans ("depletions plans")that describe how they will offset impacts to target flows from Phone: (308) 237-5728 water-related activities that were started after July www.platteriverprogram.org 1997. Water used to offset these activities does not count toward the First Increment Goals because it is replacing impacts from new activities. Any changes to depletions plans must be reported to and approved by the Program's Governance Committee.