1. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Watershed Scale Project in
Oostanaula Creek
F. R. Walker, C. D. Clark, M. Essington,
S. Hawkins, D.M. Lambert, A. Layton, J.
Schwartz and L-B Reynolds

2. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Oostanaula Watershed
• Urbanizing agricultural watershed
(44,864 acres)
• Ridge and Valley of East TN
• Pasture grazing systems
• Impaired for pathogens, nutrients,
siltation, loss of habitat
• Non-point source; sediment & P TMDLs
• USDA funding 2009 to present
• TN Dept. of Ag. 319 funding

3. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Research Objectives
• Objective A. Develop a watershed-scale
sediment budget that identifies dominant
sources of fine sediment to Oostanaula
• Objective B. Conduct an economic cost-
benefit analysis of sediment source-
dependent BMPs specific to the
Oostanaula Creek watershed
• Objective C. Assess the behavior
response of farmer’s willingness to
implement sediment BMPs

4. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Outreach and Education
Objectives
• Objectives D & E. Conduct
comprehensive watershed-wide education
program to inform farmers, youth and
adult residents and demonstrate that
BMPs can simultaneously improve water
quality and increase agricultural
productivity

5. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objective A. Develop a watershed-
scale sediment budget
• Characterized microbial communities from
eroding soil and suspended sediment
• Bacterial communities can serve as an
eroding material source tracker
– Discriminate between suspended sediment
sources and in-stream suspended sediment
• Identified dominant phyla

6. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

7. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Phyla Shared by Different Soil /
Sediment Sources

8. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Microbial Diversity Indices

9. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

10. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objective A. Sediment
elemental fingerprinting
• Si, Co, P, Mn, Ba, Cu and Zn were the
optimum combination of elements
• Clustered sediment from different
categories
– Upland erosion
– Stream bank
•Sediment sources (from pasture, cattle path,
forest etc.) could not be differentiated by
their measured geochemical properties

11. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Similar Geology Across
Watershed!

12. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objective A. Understanding
stream bank erosion processes
• Stream bank erosion processes and
channel degradation in the southern
Appalachian region
• How do vegetation and bedrock influence
bank stability?
• Estimating sediment yields
– SWAT analysis if land-use changed
• Estimating sediment yields from cattle
paths

13. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Cattle Paths
• Higher runoff volumes
and sediment loads,
per storm event from
cattle paths
• Control sites were 0.01
and 0.75 kg per storm
• Cattle paths: 5.67,
14.59, and 20.00 kg
per storm

14. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objectives B & C. Economics
analysis of BMPs and adoption
• How likely will producers adopt rotational
grazing?
• Integrated into the Soil and Water
Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic
model
• Estimated that the maximum upland
sediment loss reduction with rotational
grazing was 1,450 tons/year at a cost of
$170/ton across the Watershed.

15. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objective C. Farmer’s willingness
to implement BMPs
Two surveys (2009 and 2014)
•Mail survey (437 responses or 30%; 143
beef operations; 13,963 acres)
•Adoption 4 different BMPs; stream
crossings, rotational grazing, pasture
improvement, and cattle water tanks

16. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Willingness to Adopt BMPs
• Stream crossings, least preferred;
maintenance after high flow events
• Younger, more educated producers with
higher income levels willing to adopt
BMPs
• Beef cattle owners willing to improve
pasture productivity
– Win-Win BMP strategy for beef cattle owners
wishing to enhance animal productivity and
improve water quality??

17. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
BMP adoption patterns
Practice Adopters
(% of total
cattle
operations)
Total Units of
practice
adopted
across 5
watersheds
Stream crossing 23 (16%) 1,302 ft2
Rotational
grazing
62 (42%) 3,456 ac
Pasture
improvement
100 (68%) 4,694 ac
Waterer 61 (41%) 171 troughs

18. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Participation and incentives

19. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Objectives D & E. Conduct
watershed education program
• Several 100 acres of pastures were
renovated
• Several miles of cattle exclusion fencing,
heavy use cattle lanes, and cattle waterers
were installed during this project
• Significant reaches of Oostanaula creek
were “de-posted” (a prelude to de-listing
from 303 d list) in mid-2015

20. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

21. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

22. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture