The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has indicated that it will be proposing the addition of small fish resident in the Sand Hill region to the state threatened species list, according to an online news report read on March 19, 2018. The proposal would include the Western Silvery Minnow and Flathead Chub, as well as the Sicklefin Chub and Plains Minnow.
Based upon a review of readily available and pertinent records, two of these species are known to have occurred in the Dismal River along the corridor of the proposed R-Project. When the Nebraska Public Power District issued their draft environment impact statement in 2017, they addressed only those fish already legally listed with an endangered or threatened status by the State of Nebraska. The proposal for listing indicates there are additional species of concern, whose conservation needs to be directly addressed.
In order to provide details associated with the fisheries at this locality, the following information is provided. All of these records are from an "Ambient Fish Survey" conducted by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.
- Bigmouth Shiner: 08/02/1988
- Bigmouth Shiner: 10/24/1989
- Creek Chub: 08/02/1988
- Creek Chub: 07/24/1989
- Creek Chub: 10/24/1989
- Fathead Minnow: 08/02/1988
- Fathead Minnow: 06/13/1989
- Fathead Minnow: 10/24/1989
- Flathead Chub: 07/24/1989
- Green Sunfish: 08/02/1988
- Longnose Dace: 08/02/1988
- Longnose Dace: 06/13/1989
- Longnose Dace: 07/24/1989
- Longnose Dace: 10/24/1989
- Mosquitofish: 08/02/1988
- Plains Topminnow: 08/02/1988
- Plains Topminnow: 06/13/1989
- Plains Topminnow: 07/24/1989
- Plains Topminnow: 10/24/1989
- Red Shiner: 08/02/1988
- River Shiner: 08/02/1988
- Sand Shiner: 08/02/1988
- Sand Shiner: 06/13/1989
- Sand Shiner: 07/24/1989
- Sand Shiner: 10/24/1989
- Shorthead Redhorse: 08/02/1988
- Western Silvery Minnow: 08/02/1988
- White Sucker: 08/02/1988
- White Sucker: 07/24/1989
- White Sucker: 10/24/1989
It needs to be realized that these items indicate details from past times. Relatively current details are not readily available. There are also additional records for other primary waterways that are associated with an industrial powerline corridor, or perhaps regional lines that would be needed to transfer power from an industrial wind project site via a connection to the national power grid.
There are other key flowing water habitats within the sandhills which are key places for distinctive fish of the region. This includes Brush Creek within Cherry county.