OMAHA, Neb. -- The Platte River Recovery agreement was set in motion Thursday with the signature of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne

The agreement among Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska helps guide the use of Platte River water in the three states while protecting endangered species.

The Platte River in central Nebraska is a major stop for migrating whooping cranes and home to the piping plover, least tern and pallid sturgeon. They're all designated as threatened or endangered species.

If the agreement had not been reached, the Endangered Species Act requirements for hundreds of water projects in the basin would have to be addressed separately, according to Mark Limbaugh, U.S. Department of Interior assistant secretary for water and science.

"That would be vastly more expensive and certainly less effective in recovering the species," Limbaugh said.

The governors of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming already have signed the Platte River Cooperative Agreement, which is designed to help guide Platte River Basin entities in complying with the Endangered Species Act while retaining their access to federal water, land or funding. The goal is to improve the river and protect habitat for native birds and fish.

The plan will cost about $317 million, with $157 million coming from the Department of Interior and the rest from the three states in cash, land and water. Congress still must approve the federal government's portion.

Colorado plans to pitch in $24 million in cash, and Wyoming $6 million in cash. Nebraska doesn't have to pay any cash.

The remaining $130 million for the plan is being contributed through water and land credits: The three states must together contribute 80,000 acre feet of water, an estimated $120 million value, and Wyoming and Nebraska will contribute about 26,500 acres of land, a $10 million value.

A governance committee made up of representatives from the three states, water users, environmental groups and federal agencies will implement the program and disburse funds, according to the Interior Department.

An executive director will be hired to guide day-to-day operations of the program and supervise staff.