1. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Chadwin B. Smith
Director of Natural Resources
Headwaters Corporation
Invasions & Extinctions as a Consequence of Climate Change:
Fish and Wildlife Resources on the Platte River
UNL/USGS Climate Change Conference
May 21, 2008
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

2. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Key Features
First Increment = 13 years ( )
Reduce central Platte flow shortages by 130,000 – 150,000 acre-feet of water/yr
Protect or restore 10,000 acres of habitat in central Platte
Adaptive Management Plan
Improve production of least tern and piping plover from central Platte River
Improve survival of whooping cranes during migration
Avoid adverse impacts from Program actions on pallid sturgeon populations
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

3. four slides showing trees to sand.
Credit: Tim Root
Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
four slides showing trees to sand.
Credit: Mark Peyton
Credit: NGPC

4. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Applied Science Strategy
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

5. four slides showing trees to sand.

6. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Management Strategy #1
Flow/Sediment/Mechanical
Objectives
Create and maintain where possible a wide braided channel with high width/depth ratio.
Offset existing sediment imbalance by increasing sediment inputs to habitat area (island/bank clearing and leveling, sand augmentation, flow routing)
Use EA and other Program water to create annual peaks as large as can be sustained over many years (annual, short-duration high flows within banks)
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

7. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Current Challenges
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

8. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Current Challenges
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Credit: Ken Dewey, UNL
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

9. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Future Challenges
Credit: Brian Lehmann/UNK
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

10. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Tern/Plover Conceptual Ecological Model
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation

11. Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
11/27/2018
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Questions?
Chad Smith
Director of Natural Resources
Headwaters Corporation
(402)
Chad Smith, Headwaters Corporation