Livestock Trail Erosion Grant
By Tracy Booth
In the pastures and hills of Southern Iowa there are many producers that would like to control the erosion that plagues the fence line of their water sources. Fixing fence is tedious work and not cost effective. By applying some innovative ideas to an ongoing problem, we may be able to assist the producer in saving time and money. Erosion is caused by not only water, but a combination of that and herds of livestock walking to their water source. We are researching types of treatment that are cost effective, but time efficient for the producer. Finding locations that need reworked to slow the erosion is not a challenge. There are places in our county and others that we feel will be benefiting from this type of research.
Some of the ideas that have been implemented are:
Organic: by treating the trail area with corn stalks to reduce water runoff and ‘pad’ the trail
Stair Stepping: by using rail ties, or rock strips to be place horizontal down the slope 3 feet apart, reducing water runoff in a trail
Fencing: by building outlet fences at the top corner post to direct cattle away from the fence
Extension of Water Facility: by extending the water pipe and water facility away from the dam to create less slope, reducing speed of runoff in the trail, and possible elimination of a trail
Rubber Matting: Woven tire tread, placed in the eroded area to reduce the soil loss
One unique challenge, is when a ditch is located below the watering area. Options may be to move the watering facility up the slope, or try land treatments that will reduce the trail ruts. Once that has occurred then it will be possible to address the ditch.
Another producer has been treating his trail areas organically with corn stalks, and using rotational grazing. This helped after the 14.43 inches of rain in April. The amount of erosion and trail ruts would be much worse had this practice not been put into place.
Another issue is when a water source is located below a fenced in pond. Trails form around the fence line and along with water erosion cause some serious ruts in the ground due to the cows walking the same area. The producer is open to trying a few different applications to this area to reduce trail erosion. Discussions have included reshaping the dam and fence, stair stepping the slope to eliminate the erosion, moving the current water facility, and burying the outlet pipe to remove the ditch.
Rubber matting can reduce the soil loss around areas that livestock turn along fences. By anchoring the mat with ground spikes it shouldn’t move. With soil treatment under the mat and some seeding, it is possible that forage could grown between the spaces of the tread.
The last treatment we are collecting research on will be the newly constructed ponds that will take the water facility 200 feet away from the base of the dam, reducing slope to the water area and lessening the water runoff in the trail. If this shows us in the next year that it can be successful under a raining season or an early thaw, then we are hopeful to make recommended changes in the way that ponds are designed for watering purposes. In Clarke County now the SWCD requires that a fence be constructed with each cost share project. If our research supports our anticipated goals of less trail erosion, we would be able to make a recommendation that practices be adopted and put into permanent use for future construction.
Currently, we are looking at 4 new construction sites to use in our research. Once those structures have been completed and weathered through the 2014 winter and 2015 spring, we will have a compilation of reports for the public to view. If there are any questions about this research, please do not hesitate to call the Clarke County SWCD office in Osceola.
