Nebraska Public Power District purchased approximately 2650 acres in central Nebraska along the Platte River in 1992 to offset impacts to endangered species caused by water diversion and operation of the Sutherland Project, including the North Platte hydroelectric generating station.  In 1998, NPPD was issued a new 40 year license by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) which directed NPPD to develop a management plan for this property.  This plan was to develop the property into habitat for endangered and threatened species and needed  the concurrence of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC).  The Development Plan was submitted to the FERC on July 29, 1999.

The Development Plan has six phases which were to be implemented over a period of 4 to 6 years at a total cost of $1.3 million.  While implementation of the Development Plan is done by NPPD, review of the implementation and effectiveness is done by an oversight committee with members from the USFWS, NGPC, Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Species. 

The objectives of the habitat development plan are to:

• Document the physical setting
• Develop nesting habitat for least terns and piping plovers
• Enhance channels to provide roosting habitat for whooping cranes
• Develop crane foraging areas in grasslands, sloughs and backwaters
• Develop wetland areas outside the high banks of the river
• Protect bald eagle roost and perch sites
• Restore croplands to native plant communities
• Provide recreation, education, and public access that are consistent with the purpose of the property to provide habitat for endangered species.

To realize the full potential of this property as habitat for whooping cranes, least terns, piping plovers and bald eagles, it was estimated that approximately 600 acres of mature riparian cottonwood forest would need to be removed.  This is done by bulldozing the trees and burning them.  In these cleared areas approximately 10 miles of backwater and sloughs (new wetlands) will be created by lowering the soil surface to an elevation below that of the adjacent river bed.  Also within these cleared areas will be at least one island maintained as bare sand for least tern and piping plover nesting.

In addition to the riverine developments, NPPD will return approximately 300 acres of crop land to grassland and within this grassland create a 20-30 acre wetland and approximately 3 miles of sloughs (linear wetlands).  NPPD will also work with the Nature Conservancy and Platte River Whooping Crane Habitat Maintenance Trust to develop non-riverine wetlands on their properties adjacent to that owned by NPPD. 

After work for each phase of the plan is complete, the Oversight Committee meets to discuss the effectiveness and determine if the next phase should be implemented or more work needs to be done in the current phase.  All or portions of Phases 1,2 and 3 are completed to date which includes the clearing of over 200 acres of cottonwood forest, the digging of over 6 miles of linear wetland, construction of a 22 acre palustrine wetland and conversion of 300 acres of cropland to grassland.  Two islands have been built and maintained as bare sand for nesting areas by least terns and piping plovers and channel width on 6300 feet of channel has been increased by over 10%.

In addition to the management activities, NPPD is also required to monitor the response of the targeted wildlife species to the management efforts.  While to date we have not had a whooping crane utilize the site, nor had a least tern or piping plover nest on the islands, we have documented both least terns and piping plovers visiting the created islands and have had a bald eagle build a nest in a tree left as an eagle perch.  While the response of endangered species has been minimal, response by other wildlife has been much greater with large numbers of migrating waterfowl and some sandhill cranes utilizing the areas. 

In addition to the benefits derived from our management, the potential negative impact to forest dwelling birds from removal of the Cottonwood trees is recognized.  To evaluate any impact NPPD is also monitoring forest birds.  NPPD, the Oversight Committee, and potentially the Platte River Program will continue to evaluate management effectiveness and adjust activities to provide the most benefit to the target species (whooping cranes, least terns and piping plovers) with out causing significant harm to other species and their habitat.