OutdoorNebraska

34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 GUIDE TO NEBRASKA'S WETLANDS alkaline to support game fi sh populations. However, some freshwater lakes, and their associated wetlands, have adequate water depth to overwinter fi sh and support an exceptional warm-water fi shery. These wetlands are very productive with vegetation and invertebrates (Glover 2020), which allow fi sh species to grow relatively fast due to available prey items. About 60 fi sh species (including many non-native species) occur within the Sandhills; the most common sportfi sh species are northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie. Sandhills streams, including some unique cool-water reaches (Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 2016), and their associated wetlands also provide habitat for two state threatened fi sh species in Nebraska: northern redbelly dace, and fi nescale dace; one species on the state endangered list: western blacknose shiner; and one species on both the federal and state list: Topeka shiner. A few of these sandhill streams can support rainbow and brown trout populations. Backwaters of these streams also provide valuable habitat for many other fi sh species. In addition to fi sh, the rivers and streams in the Sandhills also provide important habitat for several species of freshwater mussels. The Sandhills includes all or parts of 11 Biologically Unique Landscapes (Schneider et al. 2011) including: Panhandle Prairies, Upper Niobrara River, Sandhills Alkaline Lakes, Snake River, Dismal River Headwaters, Cherry County Wetlands, Upper Loup Rivers, Platte Confl uence, Middle Niobrara River, Elkhorn River Headwaters, and the Lower Niobrara River. Wetlands in the Sandhills function both as groundwater discharge and recharge sites, though recharge usually occurs only during heavy precipitation events in the spring (Bleed and Flowerday 1990). Although precipitation is low and evaporation rates are high, the large underground reservoir, known as the Ogallala Aquifer, provides a water table at or near the surface for discharge into a vast array of wetlands, even during drought. Agricultural, residential and municipal water supplies within the region, and a sizeable portion of the rest of Nebraska, are dependent upon the Ogallala Aquifer as their sole source of water. The Sandhills region in general represents one of Nebraska's most popular tourist areas. Visitation data from Valentine and Crescent Lake national wildlife refuges, as well as the presence of many state wildlife management and recreation areas within the Sandhills, refl ect well on the recreation benefi ts Muskrats are common in many wetlands throughout the state. In marshes, they construct huts or houses like the one pictured. These are built in the fall using wetland plants and provide a place for muskrats to live in the winter. ETHAN FREESE, PLATTE BASIN TIMELAPSE

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