Because playa lakes support such a wide variety of animals, they contribute significantly to the biodiversity of the High Plains.
Amphibians would not be present in this arid region if it were not for playas. Mayflies, dragonflies, salamanders, Bald Eagles, endangered Whooping Cranes, jackrabbits and raccoons also can be found at playa lakes. Two million waterfowl commonly winter in the playa lakes of the Southern High Plains. Consequently, playas support an astounding array of wildlife. Playas are important because they store water in a part of the country that receives as little as twenty inches of rain a year and where there are no permanent rivers or streams. Almost all playa lakes are affected by agricultural activities in one way or another in this heavily farmed region Functions & Values You can find out more information about playa lakes at the Playa Lakes Joint Venture.Īn estimated 25,000 playa lakes can be found on the high plains, but no one has ever tried to count them all. Whatever their origin, playas are important to humans, animals and plants of the High Plains. There are many theories as to the origin of playas, but the most widely accepted are that playas are either carved by wind or formed by land subsidence (they are sinkholes). As the water evaporates, the salt is left behind in the increasingly salty playas. These are fed by water from underlying aquifers, which brings salt with it as it percolates up through the soil. There are also a few saltwater-filled playas. Most playas fill with water only after spring rainstorms when freshwater collects in the round depressions of the otherwise flat landscape of West Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. The temporal nature of playa lakes led to confusion on the part of early European explorers, some of whom described the region as a desert and others a land of millions of small lakes. They are ephemeral, meaning that they are only present at certain times of the year. Playa lakes are round hollows in the ground in the Southern High Plains of the United States. The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), and the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) can all be found in playa lakes at some time of the year. Playas are important habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl.
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