Anderson: Streambank Erosion Associated with Grazing Activities in Kentucky

The state of Kentucky is the #1 beef producer east of the Mississippi River with over one million head of beef cattle on approximately 40,000 fanus, a fact that attests to the importance of cattle production to the State's agricultural economic base. As a result of the Tobacco Settlement, Kentucky farmers are supplementing their income through increased levels of cattle production to counteract decreases in tobacco production. The goal of this project is to provide the agricultural community with a better understanding of the impacts of cattle grazing on stream bank erosion so as to improve current cattle production practices on small farms in Kentucky. It is important to note that this project is a subset of a larger research endeavor into the grazing impacts of cattle and best management practices (BMPs) in the water quality of a Kentucky stream. Information regarding changes in stream morphology will be collected using RTK-GPS and analyzed in ArcView to produce streambank erosion maps associated with cattle grazing activities. The goal of this project is to address common goals of the SARE program by providing an assessment and evaluation of animal production practices to strengthen the agricultural competitiveness of Kentucky's cattle producers while conserv'ing soil, water, and stream habhiats.