47 



Fig. 43. Sandhill cranes on a Plane River roost at sunrise. 



severe storms and disease. If the trend continues, sandhill 

 cranes may shift to the Rainwater Basin where avian 

 cholera is already a serious problem. Native grasslands 

 along the rivers have also declined. These areas provide 

 important food for the migrating cranes (U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service 1981). 



The Rainwater Basin includes parts of 17 counties, 

 roughly 4,200 square miles in extent. Wetlands fonned in 

 depressions underlain by clay on the rolling plain. Origin- 

 ally 4,000 marshes totaling 94,000 acres existed. Wet- 

 land destruction accelerated after World War II due to 

 improved earth-moving equipment and deep well irriga- 

 tion. Agriculture intensified in the Basin with the help of 

 Federal funds and technical assistance for wetland drain- 

 age. By the late I960's, 18% remained and in 1981, less 

 than 10% survived. Nine out of every ten wetlands have 

 been drained or filled. Of those remaining, only 43% are 

 protected by state or Federal wildlife agencies. 



Losses of Basin wetlands have forced ducks and geese 

 to concentrate in the remaining wetlands. In 1980. about 

 80,000 waterfowl died due to avian cholera. This was the 



second largest cholera die-off reported in the country. 

 During dry years with late winter storms, birds are forced 

 to crowd in Basin wetlands, setting the stage for large die- 

 offs. Waterfowl breeding populations have also been af- 

 fected by wetland destruction. By 1975, the duck 

 breeding population declined so much that the Nebraska 

 Game and Parks Commission discontinued its aerial 

 breeding bird survey. 



Efforts to protect remaining wetlands have recently 

 been weakened. The Water Bank Program which pro- 

 vides payments to landowners preserving important wa- 

 terfowl wetlands has been funded at lower levels. 

 Wetland protection under the Clean Water Act of 1977 

 has been reduced through regulatory changes. New regu- 

 lations which may strengthen protection will, however, 

 be proposed this year. Legal disputes between the Fish 

 and Wildlife Service and others over water rights have 

 affected management of 15,507 acres of waterfowl pro- 

 duction areas in the Rainwater Basin. Along the Platte 

 and North Platte Rivers, action is needed to protect native 

 grasslands near river channels and to maintain channel 



