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<br />II. ~ <br /> <br />D00644 <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />ment models. These models will be utilized to evaluate the effects of <br />existing North Platte and South Platte River operations on threatened <br />and endangered species; in addition, discretionary alternative <br />operations will be developed which could be implemented to support <br />recovery of threatened and endangered species. Positive or negative <br />affects to other Fish and Wildlife resources will also be displayed. <br /> <br />The evaluation process and development of the hydrologic operation <br />models will begin with the North Platte River projects, with completion <br />of the North Platte evaluation scheduled for 1993. The hydrologic <br />operations model and evaluation will then begin on the Colorado-Big <br />Thompson project on the South Platte River. The procedure for <br />evaluation of both North Platte and South Platte projects will be to <br />simulate existing system operations/over an extended time period <br />adjusted to present water resource development to obtain a flow time <br />series for reaches of the Platte, No~th Platte and south Platte rivers. <br /> <br />These flow time series will be used to develop existing species habitat <br />information to be evaluated against the species habitat management <br />goals. This evaluation will determine how Reclamation's project <br />operations are affecting species habitat in the Platte River, North <br />Platte River and South platte River. This analysis will provide the <br />basis for comparing the existing project operation species habitat and <br />the species habitat management goals so a project effect determination <br />can be made under Section 7(a)(2) ESA. In addition discretionary <br />project operations will be evaluated in consultation with the Service to <br />determine if species habitat management goals can be accomplished <br />through discretionary changes and provide for species recovery under <br />Section 7(a)(1) of the ESA. Table 3 displays the work tasks through <br />fiscal year 1993 for the North Platte portion of the evaluation and <br />through 1995 for the South Platte portion of the evaluation. <br /> <br />5. Evaluation of Other Ooerational Alternatives <br /> <br />Other operational alternatives may be developed and evaluated to achieve <br />the species habitat management goals. If the analysis of existing <br />and/or discretionary operations show the threatened and endangered <br />species are being adversely affected reasonable and prudent operational <br />alternatives will be developed in consultation with the Service. The <br />evaluation will discuss the potential impacts to existing institutional <br />constraints of making operational changes to remove the adverse affect <br />on listed species. Major institutional constraints include the 1945 <br />Supreme Court Decree, contracts, agreements, water rights and <br />congressional authorizations. The positive or negative affects of these <br />alternatives on other fish and wildlife resources will be displayed. <br /> <br />b. study Cost <br /> <br />The funds required to accomplish the work tasks defined above are shown <br />in Table 4. This schedule of work shows funding needs of $500,000 per <br />year through fiscal year 1995. <br /> <br />19 <br />