|
|
Improving Water Quality and Pasture Management
| Name | Morris B. Warner | | Situation | Environmental issues are becoming a part of every one's day to day business. Farmers are certainly a part of the environmental movement as animal waste issues such as cattle watering in streams and spreading of large quantities of poultry wastes are a part of their business. With the ever present pressure to reduce potential pollution from these sources, farmers are forced to install practices or change practices in order to meet the challenge. | | Response | A SC DHEC Section 319 grant was obtained to assist local farmers in the Coneross and Beaverdam Creek Watersheds. The purpose of the project was to reduce fecal coliform in the watersheds and to provide cost share assistance to local livestock producers to install best management practices (BMPs) that would reduce the risks of fecal coliform entering
streams from these farming operations.One farmer that decided to participate was Carol Hendrix. | | Impact | Carol had, prior to this project, watered the majority of her cattle out of a pond located on the farm or from Colonels Fork Creek which ran through the farm. Carol installed 4 water troughs as a part of her contract. In addition she limited the access of cattle to the pond by installing a watering gap and fencing the rest of the pond out of the pasture area. She also fenced cattle out of Colonels Fork Creek. "It has been one of the best things I have done" according to Mrs. Hendrix. "As a result of providing water tanks, she was also able to distribute the water to various locations across the pasture system. "Cattle no longer have to travel all the way to the creek to get water and pastures that previously were seldom used by cattle are now grazed regularly increasing
the efficiency of forage usage" said Mrs. Hendrix. Ultimately this should lead to a greater carrying capacity on the farm. As a result of this project, both watersheds are testing within the EPA standards for water quality. Increases in grazing efficiency and resulting carrying capacity were added benefits for Mrs. Hendrix. |
Last update4/7/2008
This website is maintained by D Jason Caudill.
|
