WSPC01067

• File Number: 8408
• Description: River Basin General Correspondence
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 9/28/1990
• Title: Platte River Evaluation: USBR - Plan of Study for Evaluation of Operations of Existing Reclamation Projects on the Platte River for the Potential to Affect Threatened or Endangered Species
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Plan of Study
for the
Evaluation of the Effects of Platte River Operations
On Threatened and Endangered Species
September 28, 1990

The Settinq

The study area includes the entire Platte River drainage including the North
and South Platte rivers from Reclamation facilities downstream to the
confluence of the main Platte River with the Missouri River. Reclamation
operates three projects on the North Platte River (Kendrick Project, North
Platte River Project, and two units of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program).
These facilities provide water to about 440,000 acres of farmland in the North
Platte Basin, produce hydroelectric power, and also provide other benefits
such as flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife, and municipal and
industrial water supplies. There is no Reclamation on-stream storage on the
South Platte River, but Reclamation does operate the Colorado-Big Thompson
Project in the South Platte Basin. Using water diverted from Coloradots West
Slope, this project supplies irrigation water to 720,000 acres of farmland,
provides municipal water to 423,000 people in the basin, produces
hydroelectric power and other benefits such as recreation and fish and
wildlife.

The Purpose

section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires Federal agencies to ensure
that their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a ~
listed species or to adversely modify or destroy critical habitat. It also
requires agencies to carry out conservation programs for listed species.

The purpose of this evaluation is to determine if the operations of Bureau of
Reclamation (Reclamation) facilities in the Platte River Basin are in
compliance with the requirements of Section 7. If the study reveals that /'
operations are adversely affecting listed species or their habitats, formal
consultation with the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) would be
initiated, in accordance with the requirements of Section 7.

If the evaluation leads to a plan for changing operations and if that plan
constitutes a significant Federal action, full compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act will be required. This would entail the preparation
of an environmental document and full public involvement.

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This evaluation is not to be confused with the Platte River Management Joint
./
Study. That is an ongoing Federal/State study operating in cooperation with
many interests to develop and recommend habitat management plans for the
Platte River while allowing water development to proceed in the Platte River
Basin. However, information developed by the Platte River Management Joint
Study will be used in this evaluation.

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