The South Platte River's tree-lined banks were not always this way. During the 1800's, grazing bison, flooding, and prairie fires kept the riverbanks open. People moving west followed the course of the river and developed settlements along the way. Today's productive farmlands result from irrigation using river water channeled through Jumbo Reservoir, 19 miles to the west. Successful living on the prairie meant adapting to often harsh conditions. Plains Indians migrated with the changing seasons to follow animals they used to make food, clothing, and tools. Early settlers who lived a day or more away from settlements quickly learned the necessity of doing for themselves: grow what you need, fix what gets broken, and make your own.