42 2017 Annual Report
N I O B R A R A I N S T R E A M F L O W
In October 2017, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources signed an order
granting an application to appropriate water for the purpose of instream fl ows on the
Niobrara River to maintain habitat for the fi sh community. The instream fl ow permit was
granted to Game and Parks, Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District (NRD),
Middle Niobrara NRD, Lower Niobrara NRD, Upper Loup NRD and Upper Elkhorn NRD for
fl ows on the Niobrara River between Spencer Dam and the confl uence with the Missouri
River. The appropriation was approved for seasonally adjusted fl ow amounts to coincide
with the diff erent life cycle stage needs of the river's fi sh species. The fl ows also will meet
habitat needs for whooping crane migration in spring and fall, and piping plover and
least tern nesting in spring and summer. The instream fl ows are part of the eff orts by the
Niobrara River Basin Alliance NRDs and Game and Parks, along with the Nebraska Public
Power District, to ensure the long-term sustainability of water in the Niobrara River basin
for generations to come.
