The Department of Natural Resources will be partnering with the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program and the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District to construct reservoirs located in the vicinity of the Johnson No. 2 (J-2) River Return on the CNPPID canal system. These proposed reservoirs will provide flows to the river at times when they are needed for the PRRIP target flows for threatened and endangered species. Nebraska's interest is to offset new or expanded uses since 1997; a goal of the Platte Basin integrated management plans.
DNR Director Brian Dunnigan said, "This project has risen to the top of the project lists after years of extensive studies and shows great promise to fulfill the needs of Nebraska as well as the PRRIP and CNPPID." The CNPPID Board of Directors and the Governance Committee of the PRRIP have also indicated a commitment to move this project forward. Additional benefits for CNPPID include more efficient operation of the J-2 hydropower plant during the irrigation season and addressing issues associated with hydrocycling flows from CNPPID's canal back to the Platte River. The next step for DNR is to work with PRRIP and CNPPID to develop a formal agreement that describes the benefits and costs for each party.
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