New report evaluates Whooping Crane habitat models

Since 1993, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has employed the Whooping Crane Habitat Suitability model (C4R) to develop predictions of impacts of proposed flow alterations on Whooping Crane habitat in the Central Platte River of Nebraska. Flow alterations relate to water rights disputes, endangered species protection, and instream flow issues. Because of political interest vested in these proposals, the C4R habitat model has been the subject of intense scrutiny. To test the model's validity and to incorporate new field data into future model applications, the FWS contracted with the USGS Fort Collins Science Center to evaluate and update model C4R based on actual crane observations. Objectives were to improve the performance of the model for estimating instream flows needed to provide roosting habitat, and to assist the FWS in implementing improved model(s) with existing hydraulic data. A new report fully documents the data sets and procedures used to generate the model, as well as model and evaluation results, so that interested parties can readily understand the technical basis for FWS recommendations on stream flow. The authors provide recommendations for model modifications that should more accurately reflect the relationship between river discharge and Whooping Crane habitat availability in the Platte. They also identify important future enhancements to the database, habitat model, and related procedures.

 For more information contact: Adrian Farmer

See Also:

 Evaluation of models and data for assessing Whooping Crane habitat in the central Platte River, Nebraska

 

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