Surface Water Watersheds

Watersheds

Everyone lives in a watershed. A watershed is the land area that contributes water to a location, usually a stream, pond, lake or river. Everything that we do on the surface of our watershed impacts the water quality of our streams, wetlands, ponds, lakes and rivers. What happens in one locality affects other downstream areas.

Full Soil Water Profile Encouraged to Finish Crops Before Harvest

A sunflower field blooming in Box Butte County. (Photo by CHabella Guzman)
As surface/canal water usually curtails mid-September, extension recommends that Nebraska Panhandle producers ensure their soil water profiles are full to sustain crops through to harvest.

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100 years of Nebraska nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient but increasingly found in our water. Here is a brief history:

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Nebraska Water Facts

Nebraska means “flat water” from the Omaha Sioux “ni braska” and Oto “ni brathge”/ Nebraskier describing the Platte River. The Platte River was named by early French explorers, also meaning “flat.” The Panhandle is almost 6.5 times higher elevation than the Southeast. (5,424 ft above sea level versus 840 ft). Southeast NE receives 2.5 times as much annual precipitation as the Panhandle (average 33” versus 13”).

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Major Nebraska Rivers and Their Drainages: Part 4

Republican River drainage system
Featuring the Republican River, which holds the record for the worst flood in Nebraska history.

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Major Nebraska Rivers and Their Drainages: Part 3

Nebraska River Photo
Part 3 of the Nebraska Rivers series focuses on the Loup River drainage system, which originates in the Sandhills.

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