J2 Regulating Reservoir Project

1. J2 Regulating Reservoir Project

2. J2 regulating Reservoir Concept Platte River CNPPID Diversion J2 Return J2 Regulating Reservoir J2 Phelps County Canal

3. J2 Reservoir Purpose • Regulate J2 Hydro Releases • Beneficially manage reservoir releases for the project participants

4. Important Project Points • Project will not create “NEW” water • Project will not affect Supply Canal diversions • Project will not affect irrigation deliveries • Minor changes to Supply Canal operations • J2 Hydro timing • Johnson Lake operations • No planned recreational benefits

5. Participants • Platte River Recovery Implementation Program • Nebraska Department of Natural Resources • Twin Platte NRD • Tri-Basin NRD • Central Platte NRD • Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

6. Location • Northwest Phelps County • Downstream of J2 Hydropower Plant • Between the Phelps Canal and Platte River

8. RIVER ROAD BERTRAND HWY

9. Preliminary Design • 2 cells • 1,000 land acres • 15,000 acre feet capacity • Clay liner and drains • Soil cement slope protection • Inlets on Phelps Canal • Outlets to Platte River

11. Operations • CNPPID will be owner/operator • Route water to reservoirs through Phelps Canal • Regulate J2 Hydro releases • Retime excess flows • River fluctuations • Irrigation demand

13. Schedule • Completed work • Many years of study and investigations • 2+ years of feasibility-level design work • Operating agreement signed in July 2013 • Moving forward • 2-3 years of design and permitting • 2 years of construction starting in 2015-2016

14. Funding • $75 million estimated cost • CNPPID pays 5%, up to $2.5 million • Remainder is split • PRRIP 75% • NDNR 25%

15. Project Benefits • CNPPID • Increased generation efficiency • Smooth river fluctuations • PRRIP • Reduction to target flow shortages • Short Duration High Flow (SDHF) events • NDNR • Offset for post 1997 groundwater depletions to stream flows

16. Program’s Water Plan • Address New Activities • State and Federal Depletion Plans • Address Existing Activities • Reduce deficits to USFWS Target Flows • Flows for testing river management strategies • Assists in Short Duration High Flow (SDHF) • J2 Regulating Reservoir works toward all three

17. Addressing New Activities • 3 States and Federal Depletions Plans • Handles post 1997 depletions • Not counted toward the Program’s water action plan goals – replacing impacts from new activities

18. Addressing Existing Activities • Reducing Deficits to FWS Target Flows by average annual of 130,000 to 150,000 AFY • Handles depletions existing before 1997 • 3 Initial Projects: Tamarack I (CO), Pathfinder Modification (WY), and Lake McConaughy Environmental Account (NE) • credited 80,000 AFY • New water conservation/supply projects • need 50,000 to 70,000 AFY

19. USFWS Target Flows and Retiming Excesses

20. Water Acquisition • Retime excesses • Storage • Acquire by lease or purchase • Transfer from agricultural use to environmental use • Water Management Incentives • Reduce CU and increase return flows

21. Questions?