Nebraska Wetlands History

Nebraska has lost more than one third of its wetlands in the last 125 years.

At the time of statehood in 1867, Nebraska had an estimated 2.9 million acres of wetlands, which covered about six percent of the state, according to T.E. Dahl of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

Throughout the state's development, wetlands were often looked upon as barriers to transportation, agriculture and general development.

The federal government played a role in actively encouraging conversion of wetlands to other uses through land giveaways, financial and technical assistance, crop subsidies and tax incentives.

Wetlands were also filled, ditched and turned into cropland as the state and nation grew. Channeling or diverting water led to the loss of even more wetlands.