Pasture and Riparian Management
Home*A*Syst Home Worksheet Intro Information Sheet (PDF) Glossary Go To The Worksheet
Pasture and Riparian Management
(small ranchette-type operation) Fact/Worksheet
How will these materials help me to protect my drinking water?
How do I complete the worksheet?
Why should I be concerned?
Pastures and riparian areas are critical components of watersheds. Their management can have a tremendous effect on the quality of water and habitat in watersheds. Sediment, bacteria, nutrients, and temperature are the water quality parameters that are influenced by pasture and riparian area management. Improper animal grazing management practices can lead to poor water quality and habitat in streams and lakes.
Excess sediment can cover spawning and resident fish sanctuaries making them unusable. It carries nutrients which can lead to the eutrophication of lakes and will also eventually fill lake systems shortening their useful life.
Excess bacteria renders streams and lakes unfit for recreational uses such as swimming, water skiing, and wading. Nutrients can lead to excessive aquatic plant growth in streams and lakes, as well as excessive algae production and accelerated eutrophication in lakes. High temperatures are not desirable for cold water species of fish such as trout. Not only do they prefer cool water, but oxygen levels may be decreased as a result of increased temperatures.
The goal of Home*A*Syst is to help you protect the environment and your drinking water.
How will these materials help me to protect my drinking water?
- It will take you step-by-step through your animal pasture and riparian management practices.
- It will rank your activities according to how they might affect the ground water that provides your drinking water supply.
- It will provide you with easy-to-understand rankings that will help you analyze the "risk level" of your animal pasture and riparian management practices.
- It will help you determine which of your practices are reasonably safe and effective, and which ones might require modification to better protect your drinking water.
How do I complete the worksheet?
After reviewing the information provided, select Go To The Worksheet in links at the left. It should take you about 15 to 30 minutes to complete the worksheet and summarize your risk rankings.
Information derived from Home*A*Syst worksheets is intended only to provide general information and recommendations to rural residents regarding their own homestead practices. It is not the intent of this educational program to keep records of individual results.