Although well distributed throughout the Platte River valley, the bulk of this community occurs in Hall County between Shelton and Chapman, and in Lincoln County between Hershey and North Platte. Vegetation characteristic of open river channel islands is typically annuals and biennials that can become established quickly following exposure of the riverbed. Dominant plant species of this community include lovegrass, various nutsedges, cocklebur, barnyard grass, and sand dropseed. Purple loosestrife is becoming well-established in the Platte River channel. Man-made Habitats Sand and Gravel Pits Commercial mining of sand and gravel is commonplace in the Platte River system, Nebraska.
Mining operations leave deep ponds surrounded by piles of sand and gravel.
Centrarchids make up sand pits lacking aquatic vegetation and non-piscivorous centrarchids and small fish dominate sand pits with aquatic vegetation. The sand and gravel substrate provide nesting sites for endangered least terns and threatened piping plovers. Where natural sandbar habitat has almost disappeared, such as along the central Platte River, most nesting by these birds occurs at the pits. Mining operations typically take place in wet meadows and such habitat continues to decline accordingly. Exhausted sand pits grow back into dense vegetation or become housing developments.