Tag Archives: stockwater

Keating SWCD

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Keating SWCD

Big Creek Stockwater

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keating rubber tire watering trough

 

 

 

 

 

Keating fence

 

 

 

 

 

Big Creek Stockwater Project – Large OWEB Grant #218-5003

Water source locations greatly affect grazing distribution across the rangeland. Oftentimes livestock will congregate in the low benches along perennial streams or existing springs; without other off-channel watering sources available, these areas will become trampled and degraded from overuse. At this particular project site within the Keating SWCD, a tributary to Big Creek was the only watering source for livestock, apart from one antiquated spring-fed trough and one small pond located in a small 21 acre pasture. Livestock would primarily gather around this stream, underutilizing the other three pastures, and adding excess sediment, nutrients and organic matter into the stream, a tributary to the Powder River which runs 153 miles, almost entirely in Baker County, before draining into the Snake River.

This project developed one spring and installed a solar pumping station to provide livestock water to two 2,000 gallon storage cisterns and three new rubber tire watering troughs. This project also installed 2,000 feet of wildlife friendly riparian fencing along the perennial stream that feeds into Big Creek. This off-channel watering system, along with implementing a rotational grazing plan, will reduce grazing impacts throughout the 125 acres at the project site, better utilizing all four pastures while improving water quality in Big Creek and the Powder River Watershed.

For more information on Keating SWCD work:
Whitney M Collins, Baker County SWCD’s Districts Manager
Whitney Collins
541-519-2496 Cell
541-523-7121 X 109 Office

Burnt River SWCD

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Sinker Creek spring

 

 

 

 

 

Burnt River SWCD

Sinker Creek aluminum trough

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sinker Creek troughs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creek Water Line Project – Large OWEB Grant #217-5007
The establishment of this off-channel watering system provides the only livestock water in the large east pasture of BLM’s Cave Creek allotment, effectively distributing livestock across 2,273 acres of rangeland, as well as allowing the use of this pasture during  fall grazing months when perennial streams have gone dry. Using 5,035 feet of 2” HDPE pipe, the BLM used a cat ripper to replace the antiquated pipeline from the springs on site to five separate trough locations. Once the pipeline was installed in its entirety, the permittees of the Cave Creek allotment installed new 4×10 aluminum troughs at four of the five locations (one existing trough remained as part of the project). The new troughs were placed on railroad ties, anchored with T-posts, and tied together with barbless wire. The troughs were also equipped with float systems and wildlife escape ramps. This off-channel watering system will encourage livestock to distribute across the landscape, improving grazing management and rangeland health throughout this vast piece of land within the Burnt River SWCD.

For more information on Burnt River SWCD work:
Whitney M Collins, Baker County SWCD’s Districts Manager
Whitney Collins
541-519-2496 Cell
541-523-7121 X 109 Office