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INTRODUCTION <br />The Platte River in central Nebraska is located within the main corridor of the Central <br />Flyway and is an important staging area for migratory waterfowl, sandhill cranes, and <br />whooping cranes. The wet meadows along the River provide important feeding and resting <br />areas that do not exist on the surrounding upland and agricultural fields. Although the <br />importance of wetlands has been recognized, the hydrology of these areas is poorly understood <br />(LaBaugh 1986, Kusler and Kentula 1990). River stage (water - surface elevation), <br />precipitation, evapotranspiration, and adjacent cropland irrigation are examples of hydrologic <br />components that may influence the condition of wet meadows. As the demand for agricultural <br />and municipal water increases, there is speculation that surface -water diversions and <br />groundwater withdrawals may adversely affect the hydrology of the Platte Riupr s wet <br />meadows. Future wetland management decisions, therefore, will require a thorough <br />u— nderstanding of their hydrology. <br />To address these concerns the Project Team began a study in 1988 to examine the <br />hydrology of wet meadows along the Platte River at three study sites between Lexington and <br />Grand Island, Nebraska (Figures 1 and 2). Our specific objectives were to examine the <br />seasonal relationships between wet meadow groundwater elevations and river stage, <br />precipitation, evapotranspiration, and adjacent irrigation. Based on our initial findings <br />(Wesche et al. 1990), the study was expanded in 1990 and additional hydrologic data were <br />collected through September of 1992. Before our study, continuous hydrologic data were <br />inadequate for the wet meadows along the Platte River in central Nebraska. Several <br />investigators examined point data, but only Hurr (1983) and our present study collected <br />continuous, time - series data. Since the interaction between hydrologic components is complex, <br />long -term data are necessary to improve our understanding of wetland hydrology. Hurr (1983) <br />obtained continuous data for seven months from one site (Crane Meadows, Figure 2). Our <br />