BOARD01644

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Platte River Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Shennan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

MEMORANDUM

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Rick BroJ~atte River Coordinator, Interstate Streams Investigation
Randy Seahol~~hief, Interstate Streams Investigation

January 23,2002

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

From:

Date:

Subject:

Agenda Item 15.d, January 23-24, 2002 Board Meeting.
Platte River Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement.

I.

Introduction

In 1997 the Governors of the states of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming signed an agreement with
the Department of Interior to improve and/or study the habitat of four endangered species in the
Central Platte River in Nebraska. The Cooperative Agreement was extended through June 30, 2003
to allow additional time to formulate a proposed program. The proposed program has three
components: water, land, and monitoring and research, This memorandum will highlight some of
the key activities of several of the Cooperative Agreement (CA) Committees.

II. Status of Cooperative Agreement Activities

The Board will recall that last year we learned that the United States Fish and Wild1ife Service
(Service) raised significant concern over the potential narrowing and deepening of the Central Platte
River Channel in Nebraska. The Service was concerned that if narrowing and deepening of the
channel occurred it would make it difficult for the proposed program to provide channel habitat
improvements for the whopping crane, piping plover, and least tern. Colorado and the other states
did not agree with many of the points raised by the Service and the Environmental Impact Statement
team (especially regarding the potential need to add sediment), and we implemented an independent
evaluation of the issues. After considerable time, effort, and expense it appears that a resolution may
be within reach. Unfortunately, the resolution will involve additional activities and increased costs
for the program participants.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Plal1l1ing and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning