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The Rainwater Basin in south-cen-
tral Nebraska contains thousands of
clay-lined basins that trap rainwater to
form shallow marshes and wetlands.
These sink-like basins—created by
wind erosion some 27,000 years ago—
attract large numbers of birds stop-
ping through on their northward
migration. In early spring, millions of
snow geese congregate here.
In the north-central part of
Nebraska is the roughly 20,000-
square-mile (51,800 sq km) Sandhills
area. This is North America’s largest
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Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska
View of the Sandhills region of Nebraska, which covers about one-fourth of Nebraska. The sandy
soil here is not suitable for growing crops, although the grasses that anchor the dunes in place
can be used for grazing. As a result, the Sandhills are a productive region for cattle ranching.