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Bacterial Water Quality Responses to Four Grazing Strategies—Comparisons with Oregon Standards

Pacific Northwest Res. Stn., 1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, OR 97850;
Chequamegon National Forest, Park Falls, WI;
USDI Bureau of Land Management—Saval Project, Elko, NV.

ABSTRACT

Concentrations of fecal coliform (FC) and fecal streptococcus (FS) were measured weekly during summer 1984 in streamwater of 13 wildland watersheds managed under four range management strategies. The strategies were (A) no grazing; (B) grazing without management for livestock distribution; (C) grazing with management for livestock distribution; and (D) grazing with management for livestock distribution and with cultural practices to increase forage. Counts of FC were compared to Oregon water quality standards. Data for FS were used for determining the FC/FS ratio to assess origin of FC organisms. Counts of FC were significantly lower under strategies A and C than under strategy D, but no significant differences were apparent among other strategy comparisons. Two strategy D watersheds violated the Oregon water quality 30-d log₁₀ standard of no more than 2 x 10³ FC L^–1 (200 FC·100 mL^–1). One watershed was in violation for most of the sampling period. Ratios of FC to FS indicated that wildlife was the major source of FC bacteria in strategies A, B, and C watersheds. Cattle were the primary source of FC bacteria on strategy D watersheds.