Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District July 2007 Prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District 2610 Avenue Q Kearney, NE 68848 308/236 5015 and Region 6, Mountain–Prairie Region Division of Refuge Planning 134 Union Boulevard, Suite 300 Lakewood, CO 80228 303/236 4305 Contents Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................................................. vii Summary..................................................................................................................................................................... ix 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Need for the Plan .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Refuge System ......................................................................... 4 1.3 National and Regional Mandates....................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 District Contributions to National and Regional Plans ................................................................................. 6 1.5 Ecosystem Description and Threats ................................................................................................................. 10 1.6 The Planning Process .......................................................................................................................................... 13 2 The District ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 2.1 Establishment, Acquisition, and Management History ................................................................................. 17 2.2 Special Values of the District ............................................................................................................................. 17 2.3 Purposes for the District..................................................................................................................................... 32 2.4 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................................... 32 2.5 Goals....................................................................................................................................................................... 32 2.6 Planning Issues..................................................................................................................................................... 33 3 Alternatives ............................................................................................................................................................... 37 3.1 Alternatives Development.................................................................................................................................. 37 3.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .................................................................... 37 3.3 Elements Common to All Alternatives............................................................................................................. 38 3.4 Description of Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 38 3.5 Comparison of Alternatives................................................................................................................................ 45 4 Affected Environment ............................................................................................................................................ 53 4.1 Physical Environment ......................................................................................................................................... 53 4.2 Biological Resources............................................................................................................................................ 64 4.3 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................................................. 68 4.4 Special Management Areas ................................................................................................................................ 68 4.5 Visitor Services .................................................................................................................................................... 68 4.6 Partnerships.......................................................................................................................................................... 69 4.7 Socioeconomic Environment .............................................................................................................................. 69 4.8 Operations ............................................................................................................................................................. 72 5 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................................................ 73 5.1 Effects Common to Both Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 73 5.2 Description of Consequences by Alternative................................................................................................... 73 5.3 Cumulative Impacts............................................................................................................................................. 79 6 Implementation of the Proposed Action ......................................................................................................... 81 6.1 Identification of the Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 81 6.2 Summary of Alternative B, the Proposed Action ........................................................................................... 81 6.3 Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Rationale ................................................................................................... 81 Wetland Goal ......................................................................................................................................................... 82 Upland Goal .......................................................................................................................................................... 90 Water Rights Goal ................................................................................................................................................. 94 Invasive Plant Species Goal ................................................................................................................................ 94 iv Draft CCP and EA, Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, NE Wildlife Diseases Goal ......................................................................................................................................... 95 Research and Science Goal ................................................................................................................................. 95 Cultural Resources Goal ..................................................................................................................................... 97 Visitor Services Goal ............................................................................................................................................ 97 Partnership Goal .................................................................................................................................................. 99 Socioeconomics Goal ............................................................................................................................................100 Operations Goal ...................................................................................................................................................100 6.4 Staff and Funding................................................................................................................................................101 6.5 Step-down Management Plans..........................................................................................................................101 6.6 Monitoring and Evaluation................................................................................................................................101 6.7 Plan Amendment and Revision.........................................................................................................................102 Glossary .......................................................................................................................................................................103 Appendixes A. Draft Compatibility Determinations ..........................................................................................................111 B. Key Legislation