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The Nebraska Sandhills

The Nebraska Sandhills. By: Paul Dunay Wetlands Fall 2012. Location. Located in Nebraska Area covers approximately 19,600 square miles (one-forth of the state) of wind-deposited sand dunes Described as the “largest stabilized dune field in the Western Hemisphere”. Characteristics.

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The Nebraska Sandhills

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  1. The Nebraska Sandhills By: Paul Dunay Wetlands Fall 2012

  2. Location • Located in Nebraska • Area covers approximately 19,600 square miles (one-forth of the state) of wind-deposited sand dunes • Described as the “largest stabilized dune field in the Western Hemisphere”

  3. Characteristics • Semi-arid region - average annual rainfall varies from 17 to 23 inches • Temperature: −30 °F (−34 °C) to high of 100 °F (38 °C) • Hundreds of feet of course sand and gravel lies on top of the Ogallala aquifer (largest aquifer in North America) • Dunes in the Sandhills may exceed 330 ft (100 m) in height

  4. Hydrology Facts • 1.3 million acres of wetlands • 1 billion acre-feet of groundwater • 2.4 million acre-feet of spring-fed streamflow discharged annually

  5. Flora • Many plants are sand-tolerant species from short-grass, mixed-grass and tallgrassprairies • Relatively high biological integrity: Total of 720 species only 7% are exotics Blowout Penstemon BigrootPricklypear

  6. Fauna • The Sandhills are part of the central flyway for many species of migratory birds • Small and large mammals are also found here Western Meadowlark Kangaroo Rat Bison

  7. Ecosystem Management • Ranching has proven to be the best economic and environmental use of the Sandhills. The natural resources which make the area suitable for ranching also benefit a wide diversity of flora and fauna. • In 1991, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an ecosystem approach to resource management in the Sandhills. A Sandhills Coordinator was hired to bring a variety of people together to share their common interests and to develop a management plan acceptable to ranching and the environment. • The group, called the Sandhills Task Force, drafted the Sandhills Management Plan which reflects their goal and management approach for the Sandhills. In 1992, the plan was signed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Task Force members.

  8. References • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Nebraska_Sandhills_NE97_Hooker_County_3.JPG/800px-Nebraska_Sandhills_NE97_Hooker_County_3.JPG • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Nebraska_Sand_Hills_Mixed_Grasslands_map.svg/256px-Nebraska_Sand_Hills_Mixed_Grasslands_map.svg.png • http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pfw/ne/images/sandwt2.gif • http://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/6000/6049/nebraska-sand.AST2001253.jpg • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Ogallala_saturated_thickness_1997-sattk97-v2.svg/300px-Ogallala_saturated_thickness_1997-sattk97-v2.svg.png

  9. References • http://thenebraskasandhills.com/Lakes_files/lake6.jpg • http://www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org/gallery/big-root%20pricklypear%20(Opuntia%20macrorhiza%20var.%20macrorhiza).jpg • http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRk-IQYkblkAdG1svTFGrpwQzACM8wPPurqSjR3-nQ99jMY_IgFnw • http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pfw/ne/ne4.htm#Whatis

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