Salt Creek (Platte River tributary)

Salt Creek
Salt Creek as seen from the Superior Street Trail, around 38th & Superior in Lincoln, NE.
Map
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNebraska
RegionGreat Plains
CityLincoln
Physical characteristics
MouthPlatte River
 • location
Mahoney State Park, Ashland, Saunders County, Nebraska, United States
 • coordinates
41°02′08″N 96°18′42″W / 41.03556°N 96.31167°W / 41.03556; -96.31167[2]
 • elevation
1,040 ft (320 m)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationnear Ashland
 • average476 cu ft/s (13.5 m3/s)[1]
Basin features
River systemPlatte River basin

Salt Creek (Pawnee: Káʾit Kiicuʾ[3]) is a tributary of the Platte River, located in Saunders, Cass, and Lancaster counties in southeast Nebraska. It is approximately 44.38 miles (71.42 km) in length.[2] Salt Creek begins in southern Lancaster county and flows north to connect to the Platte River at Mahoney State Park in Ashland.[4]

Ecology

An 1861 account of Salt Creek in the vicinity of Lincoln by W.W. Cox noted its salinity, the smell of which he described as akin to "the morning breezes at the ocean beach."[4] Cox also reported that "elk and antelope were plentiful," and that the river was "wonderfully supplied with fish."[4]

Salt Creek Tiger Beetle

Salt Creek, as with all other saline wetlands in southeast Nebraska, is imparted with its salinity due to the porous nature of the Dakota sandstone through which it flows.[4] The salt in the region is ultimately sourced from Cretaceous-era shale which was deposited when Nebraska was part of a vast inland ocean known as the Western Interior Seaway.[4]

The water quality and biodiversity of Salt Creek are greatly impacted by its proximity to the city of Lincoln.[4] Salt Creek was channelized in an effort to reduce flooding in the city, which causes the stream to discharge water at a much faster rate.[4] The change of flow combined with the dumping of treated sewage and urban runoff create a stream that is essentially devoid of life after it leaves the city of Lincoln.[4]

Among species found along Salt Creek are the critically endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle, of which fewer than 200 individuals existed in 2009.[5]

Tributaries of Salt Creek

Little Salt Creek, a tributary of Salt Creek.

Salt Creek has fifteen tributaries of its own: Oak Creek, Stevens Creek, Middle Creek, Antelope Creek, Elk Creek, Beal Slough, Haines Branch, Cardwell Branch, Lynn Creek, Deadman's Run, Little Salt Creek, Rock Creek, Camp Creek, Wahoo Creek, and Dee Creek.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "USGS Surface Water data for Nebraska: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics".
  2. ^ a b c "Salt Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  3. ^ "American Indian Studies Research Institute". zia.aisri.indiana.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Network, University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Web Developer. "CASDE | Liquid No Weather". www.casde.unl.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  5. ^ Algis J. Laukaitis (5 Oct 2009). "Salt Creek tiger beetle featured in Goodall's book on at-risk species". Lincoln Journal-Star. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-06-25. Retrieved 2016-02-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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