Instream Flow Problem Solving the Platte River in Nebraska

1. Instream Flow Problem Solving the Platte River in Nebraska Flow 2008 Ann Bleed

2. Source of Platte River’s Water Supply: North and South Platte River Basins Pathfinder Reservoir Glendo Res. Casper NEBRASKA Seminoe Reservoir Scottsbluff Lake McConaughy North Platte River WYOMING Grand Island COLORADO North Platte Platte River Ft. Collins South Platte River Holdrege Denver Headwaters of the North Platte River N Surface Water Irrigation Headwaters of the South Platte River Watershed Boundary © CNPPID, 1998

3. State Instream Flow Law Rate and timing of the flow is the minimum necessary to maintain the existing recreational uses or needs of existing wildlife species Game and Parks Commission

4. Science of Instream Flow Permits • Analyses of the fish community • PHABSIM models • Crane roosting habitat use in relation to stream flow • Flow hydrographs through time • Public Interest

5. Results • Instream Flow Permits Granted • Moratorium on new surface water us • No moratorium on ground water use • No public process – issuance of permits still rankles many in the state

6. Federal Endangered Species Act Number of Basin Projects needed federal licenses or permits FERC license in Nebraska Bureau of Reclamation Reservoirs Numerous small M&I

7. Source of Platte River’s Water Supply: North and South Platte River Basins Pathfinder Reservoir Glendo Res. Casper NEBRASKA Seminoe Reservoir Scottsbluff Lake McConaughy North Platte River WYOMING Grand Island COLORADO North Platte Platte River Ft. Collins South Platte River Holdrege Denver Headwaters of the North Platte River N Surface Water Irrigation Headwaters of the South Platte River Watershed Boundary © CNPPID, 1998

8. Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitat along the Central Platte River, Nebraska MOA signed 1997 Drought June 2006

9. Platte River near Sarben by Anne Burkholder

10. Results • Platte River Implementation and Recovery Program in place 13 years • Adaptive management • Extensive database • Mileposts – not based on ecological impacts to provide legal/compliance certainty

11. Platte River near Maxwell by Anne Burkholder

12. Lessons Learned • Need all players at the table • Need good science • Adaptive management • Disagreements over science • Inherent uncertainty of managing complex ecosystems • Mileposts for compliance based on implementing management actions, not response of ecosystem to management • Better public outreach would have been helpful

13. Concerns • Focus on a few species only, not the resilience of the overall ecosystem • Compliance for 13 years assured as long a Program continues but after that ? • Ecosystems take a long time to respond • Impact of outside stresses (e.g. global warming) • Political uncertainty due to deecision to commit to mitigating groundwater use in Nebraska despite federal question of federal nexus

14. Platte River near Maxwell by Anne Burkholder Thank You