river for fish and
wildlife purposes was approved July 2, 1992, by the director of the Nebraska
Department of Water Resources, based on applications by Central Platte NRD.Central Platte NRD Holds Water Rights to
Protect River
Flows for Fish & Wildlife Habitat
A series of instream flow water rights on
portions of the Platte River to protect minimum flows in the river for fish and
wildlife purposes was approved July 2, 1992, by the director of the Nebraska
Department of Water Resources, based on applications by Central Platte NRD.
Legislation enacted in 1984 and 1985 provided the NRD with the authority to develop applications for the water rights, which were filed in 1990. By seeking and obtaining the instream flow water rights, the directors of Central Platte NRD demonstrated their commitment, on behalf of the residents of the District, to protecting and enhancing Platte River wildlife.
The flows specified by the instream flow water rights are a factor in providing either bird habitat on the Platte (specifically for whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, interior least terns and piping plovers) or habitat for food sources consumed by the birds. Based on extensive scientific studies, they are the minimum flows necessary to provide the necessary habitat. The protected portion of the Platte extends from a hydropower return (J-2) near Lexington to Columbus, depending on the need.
Instream flow water rights do not create flows nor guarantee that the stream will not run dry. But, the flows specified by the instream flow water rights must be met before any future project could take water from the Platte.
The total instream flow protected by the Central Platte NRD is 543,345 acre feet of water, which is 25% more than the amount of water consumed by crops irrigated from the Platte River between the Nebraska-Wyoming border and Grand Island.
CPNRD's Water Rights for Fish and Wildlife Habitat
|
Time Period |
Purpose |
Amount, cfs |
Protected Length |
|
January 1 - June 23 |
Maintenance flow for forage fish and macroinvertebrates |
500 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Columbus |
|
March 1 - March 31 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for sandhill cranes |
1,100 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Chapman |
|
April 1 - April. 14 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for whooping and sandhill cranes |
1,300 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Grand Island |
|
April 1 - April 14 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for sandhill cranes |
1,100 |
Grand Island to Chapman |
|
April 15 - May 3 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for whooping cranes |
1,500 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Grand Island |
|
June 24 - August 22 |
Maintenance flow for forage fish and microinvertibrates |
600 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Columbus |
|
August 23 - December 31 |
Maintenance flow for forage fish and macroinvertebrates |
500 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Columbus |
|
October 1 - October 11 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for sandhill cranes |
1,100 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Chapman |
|
October 12 - November 10 |
Maintain staging/roosting stopover habitat for whooping and sandhill cranes |
1,500 |
Mouth of J-2 return to Grand Island |
 |
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