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Chemical Water Quality of Runoff From Grazing Land in Nebraska: I. Influence of Grazing Livestock¹

ABSTRACT

The chemical quality of runoff water from a 32.5-ha cow-calf pasture area at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center, Nebr., was determined over a 3-year period. Runoff events from the grazed pasture were separated into those occurring while livestock were grazing and those occurring when no livestock were present. Grazing livestock increased by 52% the total solids concentration, but only increased total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand concentrations by 11 and 7%, respectively, and decreased by 19% the total Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration. Concentrations of NH₄-N, NO₃-N, total P, soluble P, and Cl^– were 6, 45, 37, 48, and 78% greater, respectively, when livestock were grazing. Runoff from an ungrazed control area within the pasture contained chemical concentrations that ranged from 1.94 to 10.8 times greater than those from an adjacent pasture under ungrazed conditions. We attributed these elevated concentrations to wildlife activity and decomposition of plant material.

Key Words: precipitation • livestock • wildlife • nonpoint source pollution • nutrients • sediment

¹ Contribution of USDA-ARS, in cooperation with the Nebraska Agric. Exp. Stn., University of Nebraska-Lincoln. J. Ser. Paper no. 5961.

² Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS, and Research Technologist, Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, respectively.

Received for publication December 11, 1980.

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