Ditching of Wetlands in the Nebraska Sandhills: A Case Study of Grant County

Ditching of wetlands in the Nebraska Sandhills is shown by a case study of Grant County, where ditching can be traced back more than fifty years. Drainage activity shown on recent soil and topographic maps shows more than 55 sites in the county where ditching has occurred. Many lakes and marshes have been completely drained and are now hay meadows. In a section of southeastern Grant County, eight lakes comprising more than 3,500 acres are shown as drained. The wetland valleys in the Sandhills Natural Landmark south of Hyannis have been ditched. The regulatory role of the Army Corps of Engineers is also briefly discussed