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called it “Nebrathka,” meaning “shal-
low water.”
True to its name in both languages,
the Platte River is relatively shallow
and broad. As a result, it made an easy
crossing point for 19th-century pio-
neers heading westward in covered
wagons.
The shallow channels of the river
also make ideal roosting grounds for
sandhill cranes. Every year, up to half
a million of the birds—more than 80
percent of the world’s sandhill crane
population—rest here for a few weeks
during their spring migration.
Other major rivers in Nebraska are
the Niobrara River, flowing through
the north of the state, and the
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Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska
Two major waterways—the North Platte River and the South Platte River—meet in western
Nebraska to form the Platte River, which then flows across the state to the Missouri River.