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Wetlands and Outdoor Recreation
What are wetlands?
The State of Nebraska has adopted the federal definition that wetlands
are "those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that
under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation."
Why are Nebraska wetlands unique?
Nebraska's wetland resources are unique because they're incredibly
diverse and dynamic. Take a look at Figure 3.2 to determine the wetland
complexes present in counties throughout the state.
They include marshes, lakes, river and stream backwaters, oxbows, wet
meadows, fens, and seep areas. These wetlands vary greatly in nature
and appearance due to physical features such as geographic location,
water source and permanence, and chemical properties. Some
wetlands hold water for only a few weeks or less during the spring,
while others never go completely dry. Many wetlands receive their
water from groundwater aquifers, while others are totally dependent
on precipitation and runoff. The water chemistry of wetlands ranges
from fresh to saline, and from acidic to basic. These descriptions
identify the extreme variations of wetland characteristics. Nebraska's
wetland resources possess these extremes and virtually every
combination in between.
Nebraska has diverse wetlands across the state. There are many types of wetlands:
Marshes
Playas
Seep Areas
Forested
Swamps
Fens
Wet Meadows
Oxbows
River and
Stream Backwaters
Lakes
Some wetlands hold water
for only a few weeks or less
during the spring, while others
never go completely dry.
Figure 3.3: Types of Wetlands
Figure 3.2: Wetland Complexes in Nebraska
Sandhill
Saline/Alkaline
Playa
Riverine
Wetland Type
