Real-time consequences of riparian cattle trampling for mobilization of sediment, nutrients and bacteria in a British lowland river

Wilson, Jennifer Louise; Everard, Mark

Abstract

© 2017 International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research. Rivers and their catchments support multiple human needs, necessitating integrated management of land and water resources. Agricultural land use, specifically the impacts of riparian cattle trampling, potentially significantly contributes to damage to river systems. This study addresses a knowledge gap stemming from the paucity of prior research correlating generation of pollutants with cattle activity locally and in ‘real time’. Turbidity, soluble reactive phosphorus and faecal coliforms were analysed at upstream control and downstream impact sites correlated with cattle activity over a 65 m river margin throughout a two-month summer period. Riparian cattle trampling impacted water quality, specifically turbidity and faecal coliform levels. Average turbidity increased by more than 90% between upstream and downstream sites during cattle activity, whilst average faecal coliform counts almost doubled. Findings for phosphorus concentrations were less conclusive, perhaps due to filtration of suspended sediment-bound phosphorus prior to analysis. Illustrative cost–benefit assessment of potential buffer zone installation to exclude cattle from the river margin at the study site, based on values transferred from a relevant published study, found that investment in a buffer zone would achieve a benefit-to-cost ratio of approximately 38:1 with a distribution of broad societal benefits to the farmer, local people and wider publics.

Citation

Wilson, J. L., & Everard, M. (2018). Real-time consequences of riparian cattle trampling for mobilization of sediment, nutrients and bacteria in a British lowland river. International Journal of River Basin Management, 16(2), 231-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2017.1402778

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 25, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Nov 20, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 3, 2018
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 20, 2018
• Journal: International Journal of River Basin Management
• Print ISSN: 1571-5124
• Electronic ISSN: 1814-2060
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 231-244
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2017.1402778
• Keywords: cattle trampling, water quality, turbidity, faecal coliforms, soluble reactive phosphorus, buffer zone
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/857548
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2017.1402778
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of River Basin Management on 20 November 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15715124.2017.1402778