Posted by Polluted runoff from pasture-grazing cattle caused abnormally high pathogen levels and low dissolved oxygen concentrations in Big Sandy River. These problems led to the state placing a 7.3-mile river segment on its 303(d) list for impairments in both 2002 and 2004. Using Clean Water Act Section 319 funding, farmers installed a number of best management practices (BMPs) on pasturelands adjoining the river’s impaired segments, including foundations to support cattle in heavy-use areas, grade stabilization structures, pasture and hay planting, critical area planting, livestock watering pipelines, and alternative watering structures. The BMPs resulted in water quality improvements in the 7.3-mile segment and its removal from the state’s 2006 303(d) list for dissolved oxygen impairments. For more information about this success story, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Success319/state/tn_bigsandy.htm
Click on Title link to view entire article. Thanks to EPA’s Water Headlines for the submission.
