Moving feedlots off-stream and planting riparian buffers improves water quality and fish habitat.

Garfield County


Small feeding areas located on Deadman Creek, where cattle had stream access, were abandoned. The livestock were consolidated into a central feeding area that has Best Management Practices (BMPs) installed to eliminate contaminated surface water runoff from entering into the stream. A riparian buffer was planted along the creek to enhance the water quality, improving fish habitat.


Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Commission administered Livestock Influenced Water Quality Grant (LIWQ), Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) Non-Point Pollution Grant administered by the Pomeroy Conservation District. Private landowner donated labor and materials.


Cattle feeding areas located along Deadman Creek and it’s tributaries were being scrutinized by the DOE for surface water contamination from animal wastes and lack of riparian vegetation. Deadman Creek has Snake River steelhead that could be negatively impacted by the feeding areas and lack of vegetation.


EQIP was the main funding source for this project. Because it was a 2004 contract, there were substantial cost increases since the plan was developed. To help offset these increases, cost-share assistance from the LIWQ and DOE were used. Fencing was used to confine the animals, excluding the cattle from entering the streams; wells, pipeline, and troughs/tanks were needed to replace the water source originally supplied by the creek. A heavy use area protection was needed to reduce the amount of mud in the feeding area and a riparian forest buffer was installed along the stream to promote shading, stabilization, and improve water quality. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and EQIP are the two main funding sources used to install the riparian forest buffers. EQIP, in conjunction with state grant money, was used to relocate the feed lot areas.


Currently, McGreevy has excluded cattle from approximately 3/4 of a mile along Deadman Creek (a steelhead bearing stream) and approximately 2.5 miles on perennial and seasonal streams which drain into Deadman Creek. Each irrigation inlet has an inlet screen installed keeping fish from entering into the irrigation system. At this time he has installed four wells, 14 troughs/tanks, and several thousand feet of pipeline. He plans to enroll an additional 3/4 mile of Deadman Creek into CREP. Mr. McGreevy has at least two additional water systems to complete.


Rick Stauty, Pomeroy Field Office, (509) 843-1998

NRCS, Spring 2008

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