WSP00190

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 6/2/1999
• Author: URS Greiner Woodward
• Title: Documentation of Existing Conditions in the Central Platte Valley - Delivery Order Number 86
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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SECTIONFOUR

least Tern

reached a low of38 cfs on August 10. One week later, the flow at Grand Island was 2,220 cfs
due to a combination of precipitation and releases of up to 1,173 cfs from the J-2 Return.

Fled,;ng Success. Since 1991, NPPD has been involved with the intensive management
activities on several sandbar (riverine) and sand pit nesting areas within the central Platte River
study area. Concurrent with the management of these areas, NPPD has monitored least tern
nesting success on these areas and the results of their monitoring are provided in Tables 4-4 and
4-5. As shown, during this 7-year period average annual fledge rates for least terns ranged from
0.00 to 1.25 within the riverine nesting habitat (Table 4-4) and from 0.13 to 1.69 ",,-jthin the sand
pit nesting habitat (Table 4-5). During this period (1991 to 1997) between 0 and 40 least tern
chicks fledged annually from riverine sites monitored and between 4 and 49 chicks fledged
annually from the sand pit sites monitored (NPPD 1997). Again, it should be noted that the areas
monitored were intensively managed as nesting areas for least terns (and piping plovers).
Therefore, the fledge rates for these areas would be expected to be higher than the fledge rates on
unmanaged areas within the central Platte River study area.

4.5 RECOVERY GOALS

The FWS established recovery goals to assure the protection of essential habitat by removal of
current threats and habitat enhancement, establish agreed upon management plans, and attain a
population of 7,000 birds at the levels listed below (FWS 1990).

. Adult birds in the Missouri River system (includes the Platte River system) will increase to
2,100 and remain stable for 10 years.

. Current numbers of adult birds (2,200 to 2,500) on the lower Mississippi River will remain
stable for 10 years.

. Adult birds in the Arkansas River system will increase to 1,600 and remain stable for 10
years.

. Adult birds in the Red River system will increase to 300 and remain stable for 10 years.

. Current number of adult birds in the Rio Grande River system (500) will remain stable for 10
years.

In addition to increasing the number of adult least terns to 2, I 00, specific recovery goals for the
Missouri River System identified by the FWS (1990) include:

. Essential breeding habitat will be protected, enhanced, and restored.

. . The breeding pairs will be maintained in the following distribution for 10 years (assuming at
least four major census will have been conducted during this time).

Montana

50 adults

250 adults

680 adults (includes 400 shared with Nebraska on the
Missouri River)

North Dakota -
South Dakota .

I1RS SnIiI1eI' MblIlt-II a,de
FaRI SInices

68FOD97286Q(Vr1.cioc Sl2J1999(9:52AM)lUR:SGWCFSi2 4-9