The Wetlands Research Program Bulletin. Volume 5. Number 1.
Abstract
The city of Lincoln, Neb., was founded in the mid-18OOs along Salt Creek. As the name of the creek implies, the potential for commercial salt production from saline wetlands played a key role in Lincoln's settlement and early history. Although other sources of salt that could be mined cheaply were found in the region, the impact of civilization on the Salt Creek wetlands continued. During the last century, the saline marshes suffered extensive degradation through commercial and residential development, road construction, and agriculture. Today, Nebraska's eastern saline wetlands are considered to be among the most restricted and imperiled ecosystems. Background about the wetlands Hydrology. Eastern Nebraska saline wetlands are regionally unique, located in floodplain swales and depressions within the Salt Creek and Rock Creek watersheds in Lancaster and southern Saunders counties. Water regimes are temporarily and seasonally flooded on saline mineral soils. Water sources are a combination of discharge from the Dakota sandstone formation aquifer, precipitation, and overbank flooding. Salts are concentrated in the soil during dry periods. Flora. Vegetation in these wetlands is characterized by halophytes including spearscale (A trip lex subspicata), inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata var. stricta), saltwort (Sa1icornia rubra) (Fig. 1), prairie bulrush (Scirpus mantimus var. paludosus), sea blite (Suaeda depressa), and narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia). Four plant species considered rare in Nebraska are saltmarsh aster (Aster subulatus var. ligulatus), seaside heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicurn), saltwort, and Texas dropseed (Sporobolus texanus) can be found in the marshes along Salt Creek.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA296979
Entities
People
- Mary Davis
- Michael C. Gilbert
- Randy G. Stutheit