South of the Platte River in central Nebraska remain the nation’s only Rainwater Basin wetlands.
Although these wetlands once covered thousands of acres, scientists estimate only 10 percent of them still exist.
Little is known about the wetlands, but Sarah Thompson, a hydrology master’s student in the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is seeking to learn more about these wetlands and the best way to conserve them.
"The Central Flyway goes over these wetlands, and they are critical stopover habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl,” Thompson said recently. “Millions of birds pass over these wetlands every year while migrating. If you think about it, would you rather make a 16-hour road trip with no stops, or would you like to have at least one stop in the middle where you can sleep and get some food?"
Follow Sarah's story at https://nrt.unl.edu/sarah-thompson
More details at: https://nrt.unl.edu