The Platte River

The Platte is a wide shallow river originating at the confluence of the North Platte and South Platte rivers near North Platte, Nebraska.

It flows on a 310 mile route meeting the Missouri River about five miles south of Bellevue, Nebraska.

Many habitats for wildlife, including mountain pine forest, native grasslands, and eastern deciduous forest, exist in the Platte River ecosystem.

This region is steeped in the history of the settlement of the West. The Mormon and Oregon trails, as well as the railroads followed the Platte River and played important roles in the early settlement of the region.

Enactment of several federal laws to facilitate settlement of the region in the 1880s along with the opening of several railroad lines encouraged residents of the eastern United States to move to the region.

Along with human settlement came changes in the character of the ecosystem. Wetlands were drained to accommodate intensified agricultural development and a vast acreage of tall grass prairie was converted to mono-crop fields.

Gravity and center-pivot irrigation systems accelerated the transformation of the native grassland communities. Draining of wetlands along the river and intensified water withdrawal from the river has been responsible for changing the character of riverine habitats. Although some species have benefited, many have lost habit and declined.

Sandhill Crane Migration

One of the most spectacular events that happens along the Platte River

For about 5 weeks, from mid-February to mid-April the cranes display a symphony of sounds and dancing rituals for 30 miles along the Platte River.

Ninety percent of the world's sandhill cranes, about 500,000, stop each spring to rest, mate, and gain energy from the fertile lands along the Platte River for the last leg of their journey to the north.

In addition to cranes, are 10 million ducks and geese that use the Platte and the neighboring Rainwater Basin wetlands. More than 2 million snow geese stopped in south-central Nebraska last spring.

For nice information about cranes and information on visiting sites see: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/cranes.html

For information on other animals found in Nebraska see this page by the Nebraska Game and Parks Department.
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/critters.html