Nebraska Sand Hills! |
| SAND HILLS OF NEBRASKA sand hill is a region of mixed grass prairie in north-central Nebraska, covering just over 1 quarter of the state. the region is variously defined by different organizations . so its size is indicated as 19,000 mi2 (50,700 km2) or 23,600 mi2 (61,100 km2). dunes in sand hills may exceed 330 feet (100m) in height. the average elevation of the sand hills region gradually increases from about 1500 feet 550m in the eat to about 360 feet 1100m in the west. the sand hill sit top the massive ogallala aquifer & marshes & shallow lakes both temporary & permanent--are common in low-lying parts of the sand hills. the eastern & central sections of the regions are drained by tributaries of the long river & the niobrara river . the worldwide fund for nature designated the sand hills as an ecoregion, distinct from other grasslands of the great plains. as much as 85% of the sand hills ecoregion is intact naural habitat, the highest level in the great plains. the reason is primarily due to lack of agriculture,. the plant-anchored dunes of the sand hills were formed at the most recent ice age by wind-blown particles originating from regions to the north & west of Nebraska. |