# ripple marks in north central Nebraska **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ripple-marks-in-north-central-nebraska/406338 "2007-06-01T14:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ripple-marks-in-north-central-nebraska/406338/1 "2007-06-01T14:20:03Z")
If you go to about 42 deg 28 min N and 101 deg 16 min W (roughly Cherry county Nebraska) on Google Earth, you will see these ridges. Are these “ripple” marks from a giant drained lake? I thought this happened in Washington, but didn’t know if it was the cause of this geographic feature in Nebraska. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ripple-marks-in-north-central-nebraska/406338/2 "2007-06-01T14:32:14Z")
That’s the [Sand Hills](http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/projects/geoweb/participants/dutch/VTrips/SandHills.HTM), a large area of inactive dunes. The area was once desert, but is now mostly covered with grass. There’s local concern that a protracted drought will turn the area back into an active dune field. For comparison: [Washington scablands](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channeled_scablands) ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ripple-marks-in-north-central-nebraska/406338/3 "2007-06-01T14:35:29Z")
My guess - wind. The reason the plains are called the plains is because nothing can grow but the grass because of the wind. I have no cite for that, I saw it on “Great Plains” from Planet Earth Series.