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Platte River Watershed Protection Program
Background: The Platte Watershed Program is a partnership to protect
and enhance the ecosystem of the Platte River and its alluvial aquifer in
Nebraska. Originating in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, the watershed
of the Platte River drains two-thirds of the State of Nebraska. The Platte
River alluvial aquifer provides drinking water for 70% of Nebraska's citizens.
The water resources of the Platte basin support multiple uses - irrigation,
hydropower, recreation, aquatic life/wildlife, and tourism - and an economy
based on rich agricultural production. The Platte River serves as a vital
link in the Central Flyway, providing habitat for 300 species of migratory
birds, including 80% of the continental population of Sandhll cranes. It
is a distinct environmental transistion zone with a rich diversity of plant
and animal life.
Organization that initiated the project: The Platte Watershed Program was
initiated by EPA Region 7 and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
in 1991 following a regional comparative risk project which identified the
most serious remaining threats to human health and the environment in theregion. A comprehensive ecosystem approach to the Platte River Basin in
Nebraska was undertaken to address areas of high risk for pesticides, nitrates,
and toxics contamination and habitat destruction and alteration.
Goals/Objectives: The goals of the program are to: 1) protect and enhance
water quality, public health, and ecological integrity of the Platte River
Basin and its alluvial aquifer through cooperative assessment and action;
and 2) facilitate development and implementation of long-range management
plans to reduce ecological and human health risks while maintaining economic
and socio-cultural well being of communities in the Platte River Basin.
Major Objectives
- Demonstrate application of watershed/ecosystem/place-based/community-based
management principles and ecological restoration techniques.
- Support scientific assessments to inventory and prioritize threats to
water quality, human health, and ecological integrity in the Platte River Basin.
- Focus Federal, state, and local authorities and resources on identified
threats to water quality, human health, and ecological integrity in the
Basin.
- Develop and implement outreach programs to form partnerships and involve
stakeholders in Platte watershed protection/enhancement.
- Provide resources and develop tools to enhance capacity for risk-based
targeting and long-term ecological and economic sustainability in the Basin.
Eco-risk Assessment
Regional Economic Information