WSP08290

• File Number: 8449.916
• Description: South Platte Projects
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 8/1/1997
• Author: McLaughlin Water Eng
• Title: Platte River Basin Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Executive Summary

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This report presents the results of an investigation of the Platte River basin
completed for the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission. The
basic objective of this investigation is to review existing water resources
management and development programs and policies in the Platte River
basin and to focus on how federal agency policies and programs could be more
efficient and effective. Toward this objective, many past and present
programs, policies, and projects were reviewed and analyzed including:

. Memorandum of Agreement/Cooperative Agreement process to
establish a basin-wide recovery program for endangered species

. Kingsley Dam Relicensing

. A1lard/Brown Task Force on Resolution of By.Pass Flow Issues

. Nebraska Statute LB 108

. EPA Middle Platte River Ecological Risk Assessment Program

. Colorado Senate Bill 74 Planning Study

. Efforts to resolve Habitat Flow Problems in the lower Platte (an
intrastate problem)

. Efforts to resolve non-point source agricultural pollution problems in
the central and lower Platte

. Nebraska u. Wyoming litigation

. Efforts to resolve Colorado front range municipal water supply

problems

. Watershed management programs

The major force presently driving many water resources policies,
management and development decisions in the Platte River basin is the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). This act is affecting the nature and direction
of municipal water supply planning and projects in the front range of
Colorado, development of new storage projects in Wyoming, permitting of
existing and proposed diversion and storage structures on federal lands, and

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