By Andy Bishop, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture

Playa Wetlands – Habitat & Groundwater Recharge  
Playa wetlands are scattered across Nebraska. These shallow wetlands have heavy clay soils and a distinct watershed that funnels water to the wetland. These wetlands cycle through wet and dry periods. In the past, these were referred to by producers as buffalo wallows, mud puddles, or wasteland.  The Rainwater Basin Wetland Complex is a unique cluster of these wetlands.  This landscape is located north of the Republican River and South of the Platte River extending west from Seward to Gosper counties. Historically over 11,000 wetlands covering 200,000 acres were scattered across this landscape.  

The fertile soils and abundant groundwater resources make the Rainwater Basin landscape one of the most agriculturally productive regions in Nebraska. To maximize ag production, over 90% of these wetlands were drained. This is problematic since 8.6 million waterfowl rely on these wetlands each year.  When large congregations of waterfowl are forced into limited habitat, birds become stressed, resulting in die-offs from avian cholera. In addition, stressed birds cannot forage effectively, which can negatively impact waterfowl populations. Birds rely on habitat in the Rainwater Basin to fuel up, which helps them complete migration and prepare for nesting.  Healthy birds initiate nesting earlier, lay larger clutches, and are more apt to re-nest if an initial nest is lost.  All these traits contribute to stable populations.  

In addition to providing important habitat, these wetlands are significant groundwater recharge points to the underlying aquifer.  Groundwater monitoring suggests that one acre of playa ponding water for 35 days/year will recharge 1.14 million gallons of water. This recharge could provide 35 residents with sufficient drinking water for one year based on average municipal water use (32,000 gallons/person/year), or sufficient groundwater to irrigate 3.5 acres with 6 inches of water.  Restoration and enhancement of playa wetlands is an important conservation tool to increase groundwater recharge and improve water quality. 

If you are interested in learning more about playa wetlands and conservation programs that can provide financial assistance to restore and enhance wetlands contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office or Natural Resources District office. 

The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture is a public/private partnership that works with federal and state agencies, local Natural Resources Districts, non-government organizations, and private landowners to develop “win-win” opportunities to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands in the Rainwater Basin.  For more information on playa wetlands visit www.rwbjv.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.