Agate Fossil Beds National Monument - Environmental Factors (U.S. National Park Service)

Environmental factors, such as weather, and other natural cycles play an important part in shaping the park landscape, dictating the plant and animal species that survive in this area. Agate is located in rural northwest Nebraska surrounded by ranches that produce beef, alfalfa and hay. In this setting, the park is concerned with water quality due to ongoing irrigation upstream and fertilizer application. At this time this has not been a problem. For more discussion on this topic, read about Rivers and Streams in the Natural Features of this web site. Other park concerns are noxious weeds that include cheatgrass and Canada thistle. Canada thistle is discussed under the topic Other in the Plant section of this web site. The park also monitors weather and observes air quality.