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The High Plains Region lies principally in the prairie and plains grasslands regions. Riparian vegetation is predominantly elm-ash-cottonwood and cottonwood-wi 11 ow assoc i at ions. Shi nnery oak is found in the southern plains in the Canadian basin. In some northern areas (Niobrara River), mixed western pine and eastern deciduous trees may be found (Kuchl er, 1966 and Kaul, 1975). One of the most important biological features of the High Plains is the Central Flyway. A large number of waterfowl, wading and shorebirds migrate through the area, incl udi ng the bl ue-wi nged teal, redhead, upl and sandpi per and whooping crane. Some of the terrestrial birds util izing the Central Flyway include the summer tanager, Swainsons' hawk, purple martin, chimney swift, yell ow-bi 11 ed cuckoo, Ameri can redstart, eastern ki ngbi rd, Jlmeri can robin and yellow warbler. Nebraska The State of Nebraska consists primarily of two major ecological types. The eastern part of the High Plains in the State is in the Bluestem-Prairie section while the central portion is in the Wheatgrass-Bluestem-Needlegrass section. These are both in the Tall Grass Prairie Province of the Prairie Division (Bailey, 1978). The native vegetation of the Bluestem Prairie is mostly tall grass and mixed prairies. Much of this community has been lost through cultivation. The Wheatgrass-Bluestem-Needlegrass section is mostly mid-grass prairie with short grass prairie to the west and Sandhills priarie centrally (Kaul, 1975). The Sandhills region or prairie is one of the most significant features of the Nebraska High Plains. It is of particular importance to the Ogallala Aquifer studies because of the numerous Sandhills lakes hydraulically con- nected wi th the ground water. Sandhi 11 s The Sandhills region is approximately 20,000 square miles in area, located in north central Nebraska. Most of the region is in natural 1-12 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I