The Columbus journal., 1879-11-05
How and why the Platte has
Degenerated.

have thought 3 few results OF my
summers trip TO your vicinity might
not be without interest to your read
ers. Last August l made a hasty
geological reconnaissance Of the
Platte from its mouth TO Kearney.
Without dwelling on the very in
teresting features of the present
stream, wish simply to give few
glimpses, which have come TO me,
of its former majestic size and come
of its curious changes.
1t formerly, and at no very distant
age, ran disgonally across Saunders
county, leaving its present valley a
little east of North Bend. 1t swept
in a channel from 5 ID s miles wide
in nearly a straight line TO its pres
ent bed again near Ashland. Sand
and Wahoo creeks mark the western
bank of that ancient channel. This
statement is attested by the exist
ence of an alluvial plain bearing
every mark on, and below its sur
face, of having been the valley of a
large river. This plain is about 100
feet lower than the hills west of it,
and east of il. between il and the
present Platte valley, similar hiliy
land is found, forming what has
been called "The Ancient Island V
The high bluffs oppos te Fremont
form the northern end of this sis
land" This old cLsuncl, where il
leaves the river, is 20 TO 100 feet
higher than the water in the river,
and from that altitute ii slopes quite
rapidly, so thai near Ashland il is
not more than about sc feet higher
than the Platte.
We find evidence in these facts
that the Platte formerly flowed at a
much higher level and was a much
larger stream than it is now. We
find many more facts indicating the
same thing. Near Columbus, the
"First Table" as it is called, the
highland between the Platte and
Shell creek, is another old bottom
of the Platte. SO, too, the land be-
tween the Maple and the Platte, and
between the Loup and the Platte.
The north edge of the ancient bed
of the Platte is clearly marked by
the lower courses Of the Loup, Shell
aud Maple, which run nearly paral-
lei with the Platte. The hills north
of the same are about 100 feet higher
than this ancient bottom, which is
itself 75 10 so feet higher than the
present bottom of the Platte.
All the streams mentioned, for
merly entered The Platte at the
point where they now make their
turn to the east. Even quite lately,
4. e, since the streams had worn 10
nearly their present level, there
were streams flowing from the LoUp
into Shell creek near Gleason's, and
probably from Shell creek into the
Maple below Schuyler, just as now
channels from the Platte connect
with Wood river.
The sand hills south of Kearney
are apparently upon an old sand-bar
formed by the Platte when flowing
ut its higher level. Dry creek, as it
is called, bounding the sand hills on
the south, marks tie ancient south
bank of the river.
AT time, therefore, probably not
over 5,0e years ago, the Platte was
mighty river, about four or five
times its present size,-a slow, ma
jectic stream, flowing in bed Is TO
100 feet higher Than its present bed,
aud yet not really higher but lower,
as we shall see further on.
Another interesting point: the
"Ancient Island" appears to have
been the lower part Of a divide,
which formerly separated the Elk
horn from the Platte and Maple.
The higher land may be traced north
of Fremont west of the Elkhorn.
We may suppose, therefore, that the
Platte has cut through this divide, .
also that the Maple has done the
same. As before stated, the latter
once flowed into the Platte. How
have these changes been produced
A few words in answer. The wear
ing of a deeper channel by stream
lis usually a sign and result of in
creased velocity, and that often
comes from an increased steepness
OF its slope.
Now, then, an indication from
other sources, that there has been
an elevation Of the western plains
in comparatively modern times.
The elevation msy be still going on.
Kearney is nearly 1000 feet higher
than il was during the last geolog-
ical period. This elevation would
naturally quicken the velocity OF
the Platte, throwing it against the
divide near Fremont, and causing q
sharp bend which finally wore ihro
into the valley of the Elkhorn. II
that valley was lower, as il probably
was, the velocity of the Platte would
be still further increased.
Moreover, the elevation probably
had an effect 20 diminish the rainfall