U.S. Department of the Interior a U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey


Programs in Nebraska 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 

collects, compiles, and disseminates data 

on water, energy, biological resources, and 

mineral resources in Nebraska. The USGS 

is known for its unbiased data collection 

and research—gathering, interpreting, and 

presenting data that enable resource planners and others to make decisions that are 

based on objective information. As the 

Nation’s leading earth science agency, the 

USGS works cooperatively with Federal, 

State, and local agencies to address issues 

related to Nebraska’s earth resources. 

Today’s issues are more pressing than 

ever—the continuing need for resource 

development, describing and predicting the 

fate of contaminants, and understanding the 

effects of human activities on resources.

Desertification

The Sand Hills region, which covers 

nearly the western one-third of the State, is 

the largest dune field, stabilized or active, 

in the Western Hemisphere. Studies indicate that in this region, there may be a 

potential for “desertification,” a term that 

refers to productive land changing to nonproductive land as a result of natural processes or human activities. In the Sand 

Hills, vegetation is the principal factor that 

contributes to stability of the dunes. Without soil and vegetative cover, stable and 

productive sand dunes may become mobile 

and nonproductive. If the sand dunes are 

reactivated, then potential consequences 

include destruction of important grazing 

land; movement of dune sand onto productive cultivated land and (or) major transportation routes, such as U.S. Interstate 80 and 

railroads; interference with commuter aircraft departures and arrivals; and destruction of wetlands, which would have severe 

effects on wildlife.

The USGS is mapping the region and 

determining the ages of the dunes, particularly the most recent episodes of dune 

activity; the origin of the sand; and the climatic conditions at the time of dune movement. The USGS works closely with 

scientists at the Conservation and Survey 

Division of the Institute of Agriculture and 

Natural Resources (CSD), the Department 

of Geology, and the High Plains Climate 

Center, all located at the University of 

Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL).

Grassland Fire Danger 

Assessment

Grassland fires pose a serious threat to 

agricultural and urban areas when grasses 

become dry owing to hot, dry, and windy 

weather conditions. In response to a need 

for timely information on grassland conditions, the USGS provides weekly vegetation condition, or “greenness,” information 

derived from satellite data to the Nebraska 

Forestry Service. Vegetation conditions 

vary by county on a weekly basis, from 

high (green tones) to low (yellow and red 

tones). Given specific weather conditions 

(hot, dry, and windy), the grassland fire 

danger can reach the severe and extreme 

category where vegetation conditions are in 

the low category (fig. 1). The greenness 

information is sent to the National Weather 

Service in Omaha where it is combined 

with daily weather information to forecast 

fire danger conditions. When severe conditions exist, information is provided to 

emergency monitoring centers and the 

news media for broadcast to the public. 

Flood Frequency

Statewide information on the magnitude and frequency of flooding is required 

by bridge designers, flood-plain managers, 

and others to ensure public safety and to 

enable cost-effective bridge design. The 

USGS, in cooperation with the Nebraska 

Department of Roads (DOR) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is 

updating the techniques for estimating 

maximum streamflows throughout the State 

by using flood data through 1993. Characteristics, which include drainage basin size 

and shape, soils, topography, drainage network, and climate, are being compiled for 

drainage basins upstream from the gaging 

stations by using a geographic information 

system, improved analytical procedures, 

and a computer program developed by the 

USGS. Regional and State flood frequency 

equations, which are based on traditional 

and nontraditional techniques, are being 

developed or updated to relate flood discharges to basin characteristics. These 

equations can be used to estimate the flood 

potential within ungaged basins throughout the State that have similar basin characteristics. In addition, a network analysis of 

the flood-gaging network is being conducted to determine where additional data 

Index of Subjects

Desertification

Grassland Fire Danger Assessment

Flood Frequency

Earthquake Hazards Studies in Southern 

Nebraska

Ground-Water-Quality Investigations

Topographic Mapping

Geologic Mapping

Geology in Urban Areas

Stream-Channel Stability

Collection of Hydrologic Data

National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Digital Mapping

Sharing Spatial Data

Earth Science Information

Outreach

Studies in National Parks and the Great 

Plains of Nebraska

Figure 1. Vegetation conditions in 

Nebraska. Green represents high vegetation, 

yellow and red are associated with low 

vegetation.

Earth Science in the Public Service
collection could most improve future floodfrequency estimates.

Earthquake Hazards Studies in 

Southern Nebraska

The interior parts of continents are usually considered to be tectonically and seismically stable. However, recent surfacerupturing earthquakes in the United States, 

as well as in other parts of the world, raise 

concern for many States, including 

Nebraska, that are normally considered to 

be aseismic. The long-term behavior of 

faults in such areas is poorly known 

despite the potential threat that these faults 

may pose to populated regions. Additional 

studies of the history of Quaternary age 

faulting in stable continental regions are 

needed to characterize their short- and 

long-term behavior and to improve earthquake-hazard assessments in these largely 

aseismic areas.

The USGS is studying several suspected 

faults in Nebraska. One is exposed on the 

south shore of the Harlan County reservoir, 

southeast of Alma, and the second is just 

northeast of Ord. This study is one of many 

supported by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The objective of these studies is to 

provide paleoseismic data on suspected but 

unstudied faults in the stable central interior of the United States. Preliminary 

results from these studies show that faults 

can remain dormant for thousands of years, 

and then fail with little or no precursory 

seismic warning. Many of these faults are 

reactivated structures commonly associated 

with ancient rifts or suture zones that are 

within regionally uniform stress fields, 

driven by plate tectonic forces.

Ground-Water-Quality 

Investigations

Nebraska has some of the most intensively cultivated and irrigated land in the 

Nation. As a result, ground water has 

become contaminated by agricultural 

chemicals in some areas. As part of their 

ground-water-management plans, each of 

Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts 

(NRD’s) is required to identify locations 

and concentrations of ground-water contamination and to monitor levels of selected 

contaminants. Many NRD’s have established “ground-water management areas” 

where nonpoint-source contamination 

problems can be managed through the regulation of chemical and water applications 

or through other appropriate best-management practices. The establishment of such 

areas is underway in several additional 

NRD’s as well.

In 1990, the USGS began a cooperative 

program to conduct a water-quality reconnaissance in selected NRD’s. The resulting 

data help the NRD’s to fulfill their responsibilities. The USGS either has completed 

or is conducting ground-water-quality 

investigations in the Nemaha, the North 

Platte, the Papio–Missouri River, and the 

Lower Platte South NRD’s (fig. 2).

Under an alternative procedure, the 

State has designated some areas that are 

particularly susceptible to nitrate contamination of ground water as Special Protection Areas (SPA’s). As part of this designation, NRD’s are required to establish 

ground-water-quality-monitoring networks 

within the SPA’s. These networks can be 

used to determine water-quality changes 

that result from alternative land-management practices. The USGS has completed 

or is currently involved in three SPA waterquality investigations in the Superior, the 

Upper Big Blue, and the Red Willow–

Hitchcock areas (fig. 2).

Topographic Mapping 

Among the most popular and versatile 

products of the USGS are its 1:24,000-

scale topographic maps (1 inch on the map 

equals 2,000 feet on the ground). These 

maps depict basic natural and cultural features of the landscape, such as lakes and 

streams, highways and railroads, boundaries, and geographic names. Contour lines 

are used to depict the elevation and shape 

of terrain. Nebraska is covered by 1,427 

maps at this scale, which are useful for civil 

engineering, land-use planning, naturalresource monitoring, and many other technical applications. These maps have long 

N E B R A S K A

Superior SPA

Papio-


Missouri


River


NRD

Upper


Big Blue


SPA

North Platte


NRD Lower


Platte


South


NRD

Nemaha


NRD

Red Willow-


Hitchcock SPA


Figure 2. Special Protection Areas and 

Natural Resource District cooperative project 

study areas in Nebraska.

been favorites with the general public for 

outdoor recreational uses, including hiking, 

camping, hunting, exploring, and backcountry fishing expeditions.

Geologic Mapping

STATEMAP is one of the external funding 

opportunities offered by the USGS 

National Geologic Mapping Program; 

agreements are open to all 50 State Geological Surveys. Typically, the Program 

focuses on such issues as ground-water 

quality and geologic hazards. The Program 

also addresses a range of resource issues, 

such as oil and gas assessments, coal quantity, sand and gravel resources, and economic mineral development. Geologic map 

data generated are archived at the State 

Geological Survey and within the National 

Geologic Map Data Base. 

Work is currently continuing on the 

Alliance and the O’Neill 1:250,000-geologic maps. Preliminary geologic mapping 

in urban areas in eastern Nebraska is 

beginning.

Geology in Urban Areas

The State Geological Surveys of 

Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri and 

the USGS have formed a partnership to 

conduct geologic studies that concern landuse issues in the Middle Missouri Basin. 

These studies are being conducted in a corridor that encompasses Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 

Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas and 

Topeka, Kansas. Most of the areas between 

the cities consist of smaller urban centers 

and intervening rural areas that support 

intensive agricultural activities.

Geologic constraints, such as collapsing 

or expanding soils, landslides, subsidence, 

and flooding, affect land use and present 

other problems, especially in urban areas. 

Disposal of municipal and industrial 

wastes, which include hazardous waste, is 

of concern in terms of past practices and 

future needs. Erosion, sedimentation, and 

contamination from nonpoint sources are 

major issues in areas of agricultural and 

urban development. Geologic information 

obtained in these studies is essential to 

understanding the carrying capacity of the 

land, identifying potential consequences 

of land uses on the natural system, and 

determining methods to reduce or mitigate 

these consequences.
SUBUNITS

Sandhills

Loess hills

Glaciated area

Platte Valley

0 25 50 75 100 MILES

0 25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS

102° 101° 100° 99° 98° 97° 96°

41°

42°

North Loup

River

Niobrara

River

Middle

Loup

River

River Dismal

North Platte R.

Platte R.

South

Republican River

Platte

River

Loup River South

Wood R.

Mud Creek

Calamus River

South Fork

Cedar

River

Loup R.

Prairie

Cr.

Beaver Cr.

Cr.

Shell

Boundary of


study unit

Elkhorn

N. Fork

River

Logan Cr.

Maple Cr.

Salt

Cr.

Big

Blue

River

Missouri R

Sherman
 .

Res.

Calamus


Res.

Platte River NEBRASKA IOWA

COLORADO

NEBRASKA

SOUTH 


DAKOTA

Lincoln

North


Platte

Omaha

Grand


Island

EXPLANATION

KANSAS

IOWA

COLO-


RADO

WYOMING

SOUTH DAKOTA MINNE-


SOTA

MIS-


SOURI

NEBRASKA

Study unit

Stream-Channel Stability

Many stream channels in eastern 

Nebraska were altered in the early 1900’s 

to help alleviate flooding. Channel straightening has long been recognized as a cause 

of channel-stability problems, such as 

downstream deposition and upstream degradation and widening of the channel, 

which pose hazards to roads and bridges. In 

addition, the channel banks, which comprise highly erodible soils, were severely 

eroded by the floods of 1993. Many small 

county bridges failed or were closed as a 

result of the floods.

The USGS, in cooperation with the 

Papio–Missouri River and the Lower Platte 

South NRD’s, the DOR, the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission (NRC), the 

FHWA, the UNL, the Agricultural 

Research Service, and the U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers, is examining the effects of 

channel instabilities on bridge structures 

and flood-plain resources in a 23-county 

area of eastern Nebraska. 

Improved methods for anticipating 

future channel stability and geometry and 

the identification of possible types of remediation measures to stabilize the channels 

will benefit planners, structural designers, 

and resource managers by helping them 

make optimal economic use of resources in 

and near flood plains.

Collection of Hydrologic Data

Flood and drought conditions may 

adversely affect wildlife habitat, human 

activity, and crop production. The USGS, 

in cooperation with more than 25 Federal, 

State, and local agencies, collects streamflow data at numerous sites throughout the 

State. These data are critical for administering and managing water resources, determining the extent and severity of droughts, 

characterizing and predicting conditions 

during floods, and monitoring the effects of 

human activities on streamflow. In addition, the USGS collects water-quality information at surface- and ground-water sites 

throughout Nebraska as part of its cooperative program. Water-resource managers use 

these data to evaluate the suitability of 

water as a source of supply for specific uses 

and to monitor the effects of human activities on water quality. The USGS also compiles and reviews ground-water level data 

collected annually or semiannually by State 

or local agencies from more than 4,000 

wells and from about 100 wells monitored 

continuously. These data are used to monitor changes in ground-water quantity and to 

provide a basis for sound ground-water 

management decisions in the State.

National Water-Quality 

Assessment Program

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program was established 

by the USGS to provide a hydrologically 

based, long-term method of assessing the 

quality of a large representative part of the 

Nation’s water resources. A multidisciplinary approach to data collection (physical, chemical, and biological) is used to 

provide an integrated assessment of water 

quality within selected environmental settings, to assess trends in water quality, and 

to investigate the influence of natural and 

human factors on water quality over time. 

Water-quality information produced 

through the NAWQA Program will be useful to policymakers and water managers at 

Federal, State, and local levels. Two 

NAWQA Program studies are underway in 

Nebraska—the Central Nebraska and the 

South Platte Basins. 

Selected results from the Central 

Nebraska Basins study (fig. 3) relate to 

water quality. Herbicides (atrazine and 

cyanazine) widely used in the production 

of row crops, especially corn, are found in 

many streams in concentrations large 

enough to exceed the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking 

water standard. Concentrations decrease 

significantly as the growing season 

progresses. These herbicides also are found 

in ground water but at concentrations that 

are much smaller than in surface water and 

seldom if ever exceed the drinking water 

standards. Nitrate is commonly found at 

concentrations that exceed the USEPA 

drinking water standard in shallow ground 

water in the Platte Valley (fig. 3), where 

large quantities of fertilizer are applied. 

Nitrate also is found in area streams. Most 

public water supplies derived from ground 

water in the Platte Valley are obtained from 

deeper wells that have smaller nitrate concentrations or from wells close enough to 

the Platte River that concentrations are 

diluted by infiltration of river water into the 

ground water.

Digital Mapping

The USGS produces digital cartographic data in cooperation with the NRC. 

The data are useful for geographic information systems (GIS) analyses and applications that address land-use, naturalresource management, and environmental 

impact issues throughout the State. The 

USGS and the NRC cooperatively produced new digital elevation models 

(DEM’s) and digital orthophotoquads 

(DOQ’s) for Lancaster County in a recent 

pilot project. DOQ’s are prepared by scanning aerial photographs and processing to 

correct for camera and relief distortion. 

DEM’s portray the Earth’s terrain as a sampled array of elevation values and are used 

Figure 3. Subunits of the Central Nebraska Basin’s study unit, National Water-Quality 

Assessment Program.
For More


Information

to correct for relief distortion in the DOQ 

source photographs. They also are used as a 

major data element in GIS analyses. The 

Lancaster County pilot project served as 

the model for implementing a partnership 

agreement between the two agencies to prepare new DEM’s by using state-of-the-art 

production techniques and to produce 

DOQ’s for the entire State. 

Sharing Spatial Data

The Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program was established by the 

Federal Geographic Data Committee 

(FGDC) through the USGS to help form 

partnerships with the non-Federal sector 

that will assist in the evolution of the 

National Spatial Data Infrastructure. This 

program provides funding to State and 

local government agencies, academia, and 

the private sector to encourage resourcesharing projects through the use of technology, networking, and interagency coordination. A variety of agencies in 

Nebraska, which include the Nebraska 

Library Commission and the Nebraska 

Geographic Information Systems Steering 

Committee, are participating in the 

Nebraska National Spatial Data Infrastructure Clearinghouse and Geospatial Metadata Initiative Project. It was designed to 

establish and manage a National Spatial 

Data Infrastructure clearinghouse node on 

the Internet, to enhance the compatibility 

of existing geospatial data in Nebraska 

with FGDC data standards; and to increase 

the awareness and use of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure clearinghouse network and FGDC standards among 

Nebraska’s geospatial data users.

Earth Science Information

The Earth Science Information Centers 

(ESIC’s) provide information about USGS 

programs, products, and technological 

developments to the public. The ESIC in 

Lincoln was established under a cooperative agreement between the USGS and the 

CSD. As part of the national ESIC network, 

this office provides information on such 

earth science topics as cartography, geography, digital data, remote sensing, geology, 

geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, geohydrology, aerial photography, and land 

use. It is supported by the USGS with reference materials, technical assistance, 

training and outreach activities, as well as 

access to USGS data bases.

Outreach

Outreach is a USGS priority in 

Nebraska. It can be found in many forms, 

such as participation in festivals (Children’s Groundwater Festival, Earth Wellness Festival, Earth Day), area grade/high 

school visits, visits to classes at UNL, and 

participation in Women in Science activities. The USGS works closely with The 

Groundwater Foundation; employees serve 

on its National Review Board and committees and as mentors in its Groundwater 

University Program.

Many educational materials are available for educators and the public. The 

USGS District Office in Lincoln has created a coloring book that describes the 

hydrologic cycle, which is displayed on the 

District’s home page on the World Wide 

Web. Poster sets, pamphlets, and other educational materials may be obtained from 

the ESIC in Lincoln.

Studies in National Parks and 

the Great Plains of Nebraska

The USGS Biological Resources Division (BRD; formerly the National Biological Service) conducts research and 

provides the scientific data needed for sustained economic benefits from and conservation of the grassland ecosystems of the 

central Great Plains. BRD research activities include documenting the wildlife values of the Conservation Reserve Program, 

which removed about 36 million acres of 

marginal farmland nationally from agricultural production and enhanced its value 

as food and cover for wildlife. BRD also 

works with other USGS Divisions on the 

development and implementation of a 

study of wetlands and water quality in the 

North and South Platte Rivers and their 

tributaries, which are critically important 

in the State for migratory birds and endangered species. Another significant project 

is coordinating vegetation mapping work 

at Scotts Bluff and Agate Fossil Beds 

National Monuments for the National Park 

Service Inventory and Monitoring Vegetation Mapping Program, which is a comprehensive project to map vegetation in 

250 units of the National Park System to 

provide information for natural resource 

managers.

USGS State representative

100 Centennial Mall North, 406

Lincoln, NE 68508

(402) 437-5082

Fax: (402) 437-5139

Email: dc_ne@usgs.gov

Additional earth science

information can be found by

accessing the USGS Home Page

on the World Wide Web at

http://www.usgs.gov/

For more information on

all USGS reports and products

(including maps, images,

and computerized data), call

1-800-USA-MAPS

The USGS provides maps,

reports, and information to help

 others meet their needs to manage,

develop, and protect America’s water,

energy, mineral, biological, and land

resources. We help find the natural

resources needed to build tomorrow

and supply the scientific understanding needed to help minimize or mitigate the effects of natural hazards

and environmental damage caused

by natural and human activities. The

results of our efforts touch the daily

life of almost every American.

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet FS-025-96