The Sandhills region of north central and northwestern Nebraska is one of the state’s most geographical areas. The Nebraska National Forest located throughout the north central and western portion of the state is the largest hand-planted forest in America, covering 141,159 acres of land. Nebraska has more miles of rivers and streams than any other state in America. Nearly 80,000 miles of rivers and streams add to Nebraska’s bountiful natural resources. The elevation in Nebraska rises from a minimum of 840 feet above sea level in the southeast to a maximum of 5,426 feet near the Colorado and Wyoming boundaries. Much of the land is gently rolling prairie, although the river valleys, much of south-central Nebraska, and a large portion of the panhandle district are flatlands. The average annual precipitation varies from more than 30 inches in the southeast to less than 16 inches in the extreme west.

• There are 22 million acres of rangeland and pastureland in Nebraska, half of which are in the western portion of the state called the Sandhills
• Nebraska has the second-highest number of cattle in the U.S. approximately 6.8 million head as compared to Texas with 13 million.
• Nebraska’s farms and ranches utilize 45 million acres, 92% of the state’s total land area
• Nebraska is home to more than 45,000 farms and ranches across the state. The average farm or ranch is roughly 980 acres
• From the eastern border along the Missouri river to  the west edge of the Sandhills, Nebraska experiences a 4,584-foot elevation difference, and the average annual precipitation decreases by one inch every 25 miles, allowing Nebraska to have a diverse agricultural industry from one side of the state to the other
• Nebraska is fortunate to be positioned directly over the largest Aquifer in the world called the Ogallala Aquifer and is the main source of irrigation for 27% of all the cultivated lands in the United States
• Nebraska has more miles of rivers and streams than any other state. Nearly 80,000 miles of rivers and streams add to Nebraska’s bountiful natural resources. The longest rivers include the Missouri river, Platte river, White river and the Niobrara river.
• The Nebraska National Forest located mainly in the North Central and Western portion of the state is the largest hand-planted forest in America, covering 141,159 acres of land