Laserfiche WebLink
<br />interior least tern. When granting a new power license the Federal Power <br />Act requires FERC to give equal consideration to the protection, <br />mitigation of damage to, and enhancement of, fish and wildlife. <br /> <br />Posting, extensive news media efforts, posters, brochures, information <br />signs at river entry points, and law enforcement patrols are some of the <br />'additional activities being carried out in Nebraska. The Platte River <br />Whooping Crane Habitat Trust is trying to rehabilitate sandbars in the <br />central Platte River (Lexington to Grand Island) by removing vegetation <br />over extensive areas of the river channel. FERC also ordered the Nebraska <br />Public Power District to construct eight permanent five- to ten-acre sites <br />for interior least tern nesting in the central Platte River where nesting <br />habitat has been severely degraded, in part by the upstream Lake <br />McConaughy and associated water diversion canals and offstream reservoirs. <br /> <br />Finally, Nebraska law requires state agencies to consult with the <br />Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on any action authorized, funded, or <br />carried out by the state agencies. This insures that such actions do not <br />jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or threatened species or <br />result in the destruction or adverse modification of habitat. The <br />Commission reviews state sponsored or authorized projects that may impact <br />endangered or threatened species and issues biological opinions to the <br />state agencies. <br /> <br />Colorado: The interior least tern is known to breed at Adobe Creek <br />reservoir and has been observed at Nee, Noshe reservoir. Public relation <br />efforts and other endeavors are underway to address fluctuating water <br />levels, human disturbance, vegetation encroachment, and predation. <br /> <br />Iowa: Largely devoid of natural interior least tern habitat, Iowa's <br />conservation efforts have focused on monitoring and protecting the few <br />nest sites located on fly-ash disposal sites of two power generating <br />stations along the Missouri River at Council Bluffs and Sioux City. Both <br />sites are monitored to record the number of nesting pairs and reproductive <br />success. The Council Bluffs nesting habitat also is protected by a <br />~anagement plan. The plan specifies that both people and heavy equipment <br />will be kept out of the nesting area during the breeding season. <br /> <br />Interior least tern decoys have been set out at the DeSoto National <br />Wildlife Refuge to attract terns which formerly nested there in the 1970s. <br />Woody vegetation has been cleared and the areas are disked to maintain <br />open habitat. <br /> <br />25 <br />