photo courtesy of Mike Rabbe

Playa wetlands are located in southwest Nebraska, in the Todd Valley in eastern Nebraska, and just north and south of the Platte River in central Nebraska. They consist of shallow depressions fed by rainfall and surface runoff and often underlaid with clay. Some of them are seasonal. The playa lakes in the Rainwater Basin just south of the Platte between Grand Island and Kearney are particularly important for migrating waterfowl. Nearly 90% of the playa basins in this area have been converted to agricultural use. Many private landowners are now cooperating voluntarily with efforts to preserve these valuable wetlands.

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