The Common Agenda

The Platte River Recovery Program

The Platte River has been described as "Nebraska's lifeline." The river – and groundwater connected to it — provide drinking water for most Nebraskans, and irrigate millions of acres of land. Uncounted ducks, geese, cranes, and other wild creatures depend on the Platte, including rare species like the whooping crane, least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon. All who rely on the Platte's water — people included — are affected by the river's diminished flows.

The Platte River Recovery Program offers hope for long-term protection and recovery of the Platte and for the people and wildlife that depend on it. The governors of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, and the Secretary of the Interior signed the agreement in 2006. Each signer has commitments to fulfill now, including funding from Congress and the other states to implement the plan.

Nebraska must also keep the promises it made in agreeing to the program, including adopting water management plans with timelines and funding for continued work to protect land, water flows and restore habitat.

Our goal this year is to ensure the Recovery Program is successful by obtaining Congressional funding and developing the Depletions Plan in Nebraska we promised to provide.