Grazing Control in Riparian Areas
What is it?
Grazing control in riparian areas is necessary to protect stream banks from erosion, vegetation from being overgrazed, and prevent excessive nutrient inputs from livestock. Grazing control strategies in riparian areas should be designed with the guidence of technical experts. Grazing strategies will be site specific and should consider
- vegetation species in riparian area
- recruitment and growing season of riparian vegetation
- regrowth potential of riparian vegetation
- maintenance of riparian species diversity
- soil type, moisture, and permeability in riparian area
- watershed hydrology
- erosion potential of the bank
- timing, duration, and intensity of cattle use
- amount of nutrients and fecal bacteria deposited by livestock
- overall impact on water quality
Conservation Benefits
- healthy riparian vegetation for wildlife habitat
- improved instream habitat for fish and other aquatic life
- prevention of streambank erosion
- vegetation will filter out sediment and nutrients from upland pastures
What does it include?
Grazing control of riparian areas can be implemented through
Grazing Control in Riparian Areas Links
- Buffers and grazing (USDA, NRCS, and Forest Service Southern Research Station)
- Grazing management (p.15; Arizona Dept of Environmental Quality)
- Grazing management for riparian areas (Michigan State University Extension)
- Guidlines for management of grazing in New Mexico's riparian areas (New Mexico Dept of Game and Fish)
- Guidlines for managing cattle grazing in riparian areas to protect water quality: a review of research and best management practices policy (Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Policy Analysis Group)
- Managed grazing in riparian areas: livestock systems guide (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas)
- Managed grazing of riparian areas in the intermountain region (USDA and US Forest Service)
- Prevent overgrazing of pastures (AgriLife Extension)
- Tips for a successful grazing program (p.8-9; Texas Section of the Society for Range and Land Management)
Grazing Control in Riparian Areas Bibliography
- Armour et al. 1994. The effects of livestock grazing on Western riparian and stream ecosystems. Fisheries 19: 9-12.
- Belsky et al. 1999. Survey of livestock influences on stream and riparian ecosystems in the western United States. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 54: 419-431.