Beef Cattle Production Impacts on Water Quality

Abstract

Proceedings of the 2001 Georgia Water Resources Conference, April 26 and 27, 2001, Athens, Georgia.Water quality monitoring was begun in March of 1999 on the Redbud Farm near Calhoun, Georgia to evaluate the effects of beef cattle production on water quality. The monitoring network includes streamwater entering and leaving the farm, and sites comparing areas where the cattle have no access to the stream and unrestricted access. Overall water quality during baseflow is good. Average nutrient and sediment concentrations increase where cattle have stream access. Average stormflow concentrations of nutrients and sediment are five to 15 times higher than baseflow concentrations. Preliminary data indicate water quality can be maintained by restricting cattle access to the stream.Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of TechnologyThis book was published by the Institute of Ecology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-2202. The views and statements advanced in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not represent official views or policies of The University of Georgia, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Georgia Water Research Institute as authorized by the Water Resources Research Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-397) or the other conference sponsors