Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
7/30/03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Agronomy, (515) 294-1923, malkaisi@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033,
jmcguire@iastate.edu
Time to Check Pastures for Water Quality Issues
Ames, Iowa -- When it comes to soil erosion in Iowa, cropland usually attracts most of the attention. But Mahdi Al-Kaisi, soil management specialist with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, says mismanagement of pastures can contribute a great deal to water quality problems as well. Three things can cause water quality problems in pastures, according to Al-Kaisi.
"The first is through degradation of stream banks and riparian areas, or the strip of land adjacent to the creek. Providing access to drinking water from streams, rivers and ponds is an easy way to water livestock, but animal hooves in and around streams can crumble stream banks, destroy nearby soil structure and increase the likelihood of soil being picked up and suspended in water," he said.
Al-Kaisi said farmers should consider fencing livestock away from surface water, since vegetated riparian areas offer the advantages of slowing runoff and allowing sediment and nutrients to 'settle out' instead of moving all the way into the stream. "Alternative water delivery systems like nose pumps, solar- and wind-powered pumps, or gravity delivery systems are all cost-effective ways to get animals away from streams."
Secondly, problems can result from over-grazing or pasture management that leads to degraded vegetative cover. "Overgrazing is often misunderstood as having too many cattle on pasture," said Al-Kaisi, "when the more important factor is time. Allowing animals to graze vegetation to the soil surface will eventually rob the soil of its protective cover. Farmers can reduce soil erosion in pastures by using rotational grazing systems. Moving animals through a series of paddocks allows pasture plants time to recover, reduces soil erosion and improves forage quality."
Third, are nutrient issues caused by pasture runoff and manure in streams. The key issues are related to manure on pastures, which can be subsequently carried to surface waters due to surface runoff. "Manure is a valuable part of the nutrient cycle of pastures, but it becomes an environmental issue when its nutrients and organic matter are allowed to runoff and contaminate surface waters. Look for ways to move around or de-emphasize pasture features where animals tend to congregate -- like waterers and feeders," he said.
Al-Kaisi reminds farmers that although pastures look innocuous, poorly managed pastureland can contribute to water quality problems. A well-rounded pasture management plan can complement any farmer's conservation plan by improving water quality, reducing soil erosion and leading farmers to better manure management practices.
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Funding support provided by USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service through Cooperative Agreement No. 74-6114-10-03.
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