"The Southern High Plains: Past and Present"
Llano Estacado
You are standing on the Southern High Plains of Texas, also called the "Llano Estacado" (staked plains). This region was reputed to be inhospitable to humans. In 1849 Army Capt. Marcy reported that the Llano was "…the great Zahara of North America…" and "…must continue uninhabited forever." Reports such as this dissuaded settlement in this part of Texas long after other areas had been settled by European immigrants. However, this region had been used by humans for centuries. In fact, the Apaches used this area extensively until the mid 1700s when the Comanches forced them out. Subsequently, Comancheros (co-man-chair-os, New Mexico Indian traders), Ciboleros (see-bo-lair-os, buffalo hunters), and Pastores (pa-store-es, sheep herders), used this area heavily until the 1870s when the Indians were forced onto reservations and the bison were extirpated. However, to European explorers, the vast prairies remained a daunting encounter. There was no permanent water to speak of, just playa lakes that filled during storms. Virtually all life on the Southern High Plains used the playas when they were full of water, including both man and bison. However, because playas could not be relied upon for water, no official trade routes were ever developed across the Llano.
Settlement
The next chapter of life on the Southern High Plains began with cattlemen who brought their herds to graze the open range on the shortgrass plains of the Llano. These cattlemen used the playas for two things: watering their cattle when playas were full and grazing their cattle in drier times. However, much of this enterprise was soon replaced forever with farmers, or "sod busters," as they were known to cattlemen. Several factors facilitated the change from ranching to farming. First, there was a severe drought in the 1880s that drove the cattle market down an made ranching less appealing. When the drought broke, an extremely wet year (1905), rich soil, and the railroad (1909) enticed farmers to settle the region. Eventually, this region would become the most intensively cultivated area of the nation. Technological advances after World War II made it easier for farmers to efficiently pump water for crop irrigation from the extensive Ogallala aquifer underlying the Llano. By 1977, more than 70,000 wells on the Southern High Plains tapped the Ogallala aquifer. Water collected in playas was also used for crop irrigation. However, farmers were not fond of playas at first. They were viewed as an impediment to farming. Playas were usually too wet to plow and plant crops, or if they could be plowed and planted, they later flooded and the crops were lost. Today, more than 70% of playas have been modified for use in conjunction with irrigation systems. These playas have primarily been deepened to collect and recycle irrigation water (tailwater) and reduce evaporative losses in playas. The reduction in surrounding vegetation due to plowing also allows for sediment to accumulate in playas, which will eventually reduce their water-storage capacity. All of these modifications have changed the function of playa lakes in the Southern High Plains.
Prairies, Playas, and Wildlife
Together, the shortgrass plains and playa wetlands form a unique, interacting ecosystem. There are about 24,000 playa lakes scattered across the Southern High Plains, all of which provide food, water, and cover for a variety of life. The most noticeable playa users are the waterfowl that crowd them in the winter months. Hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes winter on the playas in the Southern High Plains each year. Many of these ducks nest in the adjacent uplands in the following spring and summer. Many other migratory birds use the playas as stop-overs during their long migration treks. Pheasants seek food and shelter in playas year-round, as do mice and rabbits. Predators, both avian and mammalian, are attracted to playas, too. Three mammal species once intimately associated with playas were the bison, black-footed ferret, and pronghorn. The bison and black-footed ferret are no longer found in the Southern High Plains and pronghorn remain only in remnant populations. These wetlands and associated uplands also provide habitat for a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians, as well as invertebrates. Creatures living in and near playas are well adapted to the wet and dry cycles of playa lakes, which are oases in the Southern High Plains of not only water, but of habitat, as well.
Native Rangeland Teaching and Research Area
The Native Rangeland Teaching and Research Area is one of the few remaining local native rangelands left in the Southern High Plains. The upland has not been cultivated and the playa has not been modified to supplement any irrigation system. The future plans for this site call for it to be managed as an area symbolizing the Shortgrass Plains Grassland of the Southern High Plains so that there will always be an example of the native rangeland. The Native Rangeland Teaching and Research Area is to continue as a field teaching and research center for the Department of Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University. The site will also be made available to other University faculty for research and teaching of natural resources issues. The Native Rangeland Teaching and Research Area will also be used for environmental education and interpretive programs highlighting the ecological aspects of the shortgrass plains and associated playas. These educational and interpretation programs will be incorporated into the curricula of other educational entities in the region. Offering environmental education to the community in conjunction with ongoing research conducted by scientists is a unique opportunity for Lubbock and the surrounding community.
How the names came about
:"Playa"
Francisco Vasques de Coronado first recorded the occurrence of playas on the SHP during his exploration of the area in 1541. The word "playa" is a Spanish word which when translated means "beach." There really is no clear explanation for the use of this word instead of "laquito," a more logical one meaning "little lake."
"Ogallala"
The Ogallala aquifer underlying the SHP is the largest aquifer in the world. It is named for the Oglala Sioux who reside in western Nebraska, near the northern-most reach of the aquifer. Here's a great map delineating the entire aquifer.
"Llano Estacado"
The Southern High Plains, also referred to as the Llano Estacado, means "staked plains." (Click here for a map of the Llano Estacado.) There are several different theories as to how this name came about. These include: (1) horses had to be staked on the plains because there were no trees to tether them to, (2) tall flower spikes of yucca plants appeared as stakes, (3) from a distance, the western edge of the escarpment appears stockaded, as if fortified by a series of vertical stakes, or (4) perhaps a transformation of the original name "Llano Estancado," meaning "Plain of Many Ponds."
This page was created and is maintained by Deanna Oberheu.