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 watersource (i.e., water trough) in reducing stream bank erosion and fostering water quality improvements. This study wasconducted on two commercial cow-calf operations in southwest Virginia which used rotational stocking. When given thechoice, cattle were observed to drink from a water trough 92% of the time, compared to the time which they spentdrinking from the stream. Stream bank erosion was reduced by 77% due to installation of the alternative water source.Concentrations of total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus reduced by 90, 54, and 81%, respectivelywhen an alternative water source was provided. Similar reductions were observed in concentrations of fecal coliform andfecal streptococcus. Concentrations of dissolved nutrients such as nitrate and orthophosphorus, however, were adverselyaffected by installation of the BMP. The study results clearly indicate that off-stream water sources for grazing cattle areeffective BMPs for reducing the loss of sediment and sediment-bound pollutants to adjacent streams without resorting tostream bank fencing.