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SECTIDNONE Introduction i I ~ I J '1 ) J I J I i The Cooperative Agreement is also intended to benefit non-target species and to reduce the likelihood of future listings of other species found in the area. This Baseline Report is intended to be a living document that will be updated as additional information becomes available from monitoring and research studies. This current version includes some section headings and tables for which text and data are being prepared but are not currently available. Ongoing studies are identified that are likely to provide significant contributions to the baseline. It also includes an appendix for habitat maps that are being produced from the BOR GIS database and other analyses. This Baseline Report is organized in the following sections. Section 2 - Environmental Setting. The Central Platte study area is described in Section 2. The study area includes the central Platte River from Lexington to Chapman and an area 3.5 miles on either side of the river (7 miles total). The width of the study area was selected to include all river-associated habitats and to be consistent with previous studies such as Currier et aL (1985). This section includes a description of the study area by bridge segment, descriptions of vegetation and habitat types, a summary of vegetation and river channel changes along the Platte River, a discussion of wet meadow occurrence and ecology, and a summary of habitat restoration efforts through 1997. Descriptions of hydrology, water quality and quantity, and sediment are being prepared by BOR and will be provided at a later time. Sections 3 through 6. Each of the four target species covered by the Cooperative Agreement is described in separate sections, addressing whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon. The focus is on providing available information on occurrence and habitats within the study area. Other information provided includes relevant information on biology, reasons for decline, status, and trends, importance of the Platte River ecosystem, recovery goals, and suitability of the existing baseline for monitoring. Section 7 - Other Threatened or Endangered Species. This section describes several other listed endangered or threatened species that occur in the Central Platte study area. These species include bald eagle, eskimo curlew, sturgeon chub, American burying beetle, western prairie fringed orchid, and northern river otter. Section 8 - Other Rare or Declining Species. Since one of the goals of the Cooperative Agreement is to prevent the need to list more Platte Basin species pursuant to the ESA, other rare or special status species known or likely to be present in the Central Platte study area are presented in this section. Section 9 - Indicator Species. This section addresses two groups of indicator species, sandhill crane and forage fish. The Central Platte Valley is internationally recognized for its vital role in maintaining the largest population of any crane species in the world. Sandhill crane roosting sites and numbers provide a general indicator of suitability for whooping crane. Forage fish are important for the survival of least tern and bald eagle. Section 10 - Invasive Species. A number of plant and animal species are known to occur or may occur which have the potential to significantly degrade habitats for the four target species. These invasive species are described in this section. 'j .', 1-2 68F0097286OO1r1.doc &l2J1999(~52 AM)lURSG\'VCFS12 _SnJiIIer~CIJ* FetIe1aI SerrIt:es