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<br />Agenda Item 18d <br />May 21-22. Board Meeting <br />Page 2of2 <br /> <br />A potentially significant issue, which has no( been discussed, is how Nebraska's water <br />development in the lower Platte, Loup, and Elkhorn River basins might effect the <br />Pallid Sturgeon. Colorado wants to make sure that Nebraska's water development in <br />these areas does not result in an increased bu~den for Colorado. <br /> <br />Another key issue that has not been resolved:is how pulse and peak flow requirements <br />may effect future water development. ' <br /> <br />. The Land Committee did not meet. <br /> <br />. The 'Cechnical Committee (TC) met and cohrpleted a number of tasks. The <br />Whooping Crane monitoring effort was completed (March 10-ApriI30). A total of 4 <br />confiIII1ed, and 8 possible Whooping Cranes;sightings were reported in the study area. <br />A summary of their activity and habitat use will be prepared. A Tern and Plover <br />monitoring plan will begin in late May. . <br /> <br />Black and white air photos were taken on April 16. These photos will be used to <br />monitor river channel changes over time and!will be repeated every other year. The <br />Technical Committee is also recommending Ihat Color Infra Red (CIR) photos be <br />taken every other year to monitor vegetation \::hanges over time. The Finance <br />Comntittee gave approval to take one set of em photos. <br /> <br />The Technical Committee held a workshop with the Governance Committee on April <br />20. The outcome of the workshop was very ~ncouraging in regard to the channel <br />morphology/sediment issues that have been ~aised by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service (Service). We are cautiously optimi~tic that this issue may get "rolled" into <br />monitoring and research as part of adaptive riranagement. This is very significant <br />because prior to this meeting the Service seeined to be insisting that the program could <br />not go forward until a new program element was added (sediment). The Service also <br />appeared to want specific sediment activitiesiincluded in the program to offset <br />jeopardy. Weare hopeful that a more flexible incremental approach to tl1is issue will <br />be developed in the next month or two, but many challenges remain. <br />i <br />. The three states hired Parsons Engineering t~ help us evaluate the channel morphology <br />issues (sediment) raised by the EIS team, an4 the Service. Given the progress we have <br />made on this issue, as described above, we ate now faced with the challenge of how to <br />proceed with the study without reinitiating atitagonism and conflict. <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />29t <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br />