OFF-STREAM WATER SOURCES FOR GRAZING CATTLE AS A STREAM BANK STABILIZATION AND WATER-QUALITY BMP

A multi-disciplinary study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of providing cattle with an off-stream water source (i.e., water trough) in reducing stream bank erosion and fostering water quality improvemen ts. This study was conducted on two commercial cow-calf operations in southwest Virginia which used rotational stocking. When given the choi ce, cattle were observed to drink from a water trough 92% of the time, compared to the time which they spent drinking from the stream. Strea m bank erosion was reduced by 77% due to installation of the alternati ve water source. Concentrations of total suspended solids, total nitro gen, and total phosphorus reduced by 90, 54, and 81% respectively when an alternative water source was provided. Similar reductions were obs erved in concentrations of fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus. Con centrations of dissolved nutrients such as nitrate and orthophosphorus , however were adversely affected by installation of the BMP The study results clearly indicate that off-stream water sources for grazing ca ttle are effective BMPs for reducing the loss of sediment and sediment -bound pollutants to adjacent streams without resorting to stream bank fencing.