Introduction

The states of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado, and the US Department of the Interior have entered into a Cooperative Agreement (CA) partnership to address endangered species (whooping crane, piping plover, least tern, pallid sturgeon) issues affecting the Platte River Basin. The initiative has two major purposes:

• To develop and implement a "recovery implementation program" to improve and conserve habitat for four threatened and endangered species that use the Platte River in Nebraska:


• To enable existing and new water uses in the Platte River Basin to proceed without additional actions required for the four species under the Endangered Species Act.

The Cooperative Hydrology Study (COHYST) is a cooperative effort to improve understanding of the hydrological and geological conditions in the Platte Basin in Nebraska upstream of Columbus, Nebraska. A group of Nebraska interests have joined together as sponsors and partners to develop scientifically supportable hydrologic databases, analyses, and modeling which when completed will:

• Assist Nebraska to meet obligation under a separate three-state Cooperative Agreement (CA).


• Assist Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts along the Platte River in providing appropriate regulation and management.


• Provide Nebraskans with a basis to develop policy and procedures related to groundwater and surface water.


• Help Nebraskans analyze proposed activities of the CA and/or other programs in Nebraska.