Midtown Holiday Inn
Grand Island, Nebraska

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Rhodell Jameson.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

There were no corrections or additions to the January 18, 1999, Land Committee Minutes. The minutes stand approved.

Other Items for the Agenda

It was suggested that the Pledge of Allegiance be recited at the beginning of each meeting.

Moved by Carroll Sheldon and seconded by Gary Sears, and by everyone in the room by vote, for the reports of water flows from Lake McConaughy to Grand Island and a description and full accounting of wages and expenditures paid to who and by whom for the Land and Governance Committee be placed as an item on the agenda. Motion carried. Dale Strickland noted that he will take Carroll Sheldon's request to the Governance Committee's Finance Committee.

The Co-chairs of the Land Committee noted that if people want to make a presentation, we would appreciate knowing about the request so that this is placed on the agenda prior to a meeting.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Discussion of "Target Flows"

Handouts were given out by Paul Tebbel, Chairman of the Information and Education Subcommittee. Bob McCue, Jim Lutey, Mark Butler, and Steve Anschutz gave the presentation.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) was discussed and how the USFWS must review all projects involving federal actions that could affect species listed as threatened or endangered. The Least Tern, Whooping Crane, Piping Plover, and Pallid Sturgeon are the species protected under ESA and are the target species for actions under the Cooperative Agreement (CA).

The USFWS estimates that current average annual river flows are 417,000 acre-feet (af) short of meeting the target flows set for species. Shortages are different by season with some seasons having more than adequate flows most of the time. Bob McCue noted that re-regulation of existing flows could meet almost the entire demand although at certain times of the year, especially during the spring, you would need higher flows. McCue commented that the parties to the CA have agreed to try to reduce shortages by an average of 130,000-150,000 af. McCue noted that hopefully the proposed program will be able to measure the response of the species and the habitat and recommend adjustment to the flows accordingly. Flow recommendations, how they were developed, projected water needs, and re-regulation/demand of existing flows were further discussed.

Other topics discussed

Committee Reports/Subcommittee Reports

The committee/subcommittee reports were not given and the meeting agenda was cut short to allow time for Forrest Leaf, a consultant from Colorado, to make his presentation concerning target flows.

Presentation by Forrest Leaf

Leaf questioned the validity and reality of the USFWS target flows and noted that the flows the officials are looking at have never existed. Other items addressed:

Review of Land Committee Timelines and Schedule

These items were not discussed.

Upcoming Events

March 15, Land Committee Meeting in Lexington, Nebraska.

March 16, Governance Committee meeting in Kearney, Nebraska.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.