California Agriculture Online
California Agriculture Home  >   Volume 61   >   Number 4  >   Viewing Expanded Abstract

peer-reviewed research article

Management reduces E. coli in irrigated pasture runoff

authors

A. Kate Knox, UC Davis
K T, Department of Plant Sciences
Randy A. Dahlgren, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
Edward R. Atwill, Western Institute of Food Safety and Security

publication information

California Agriculture 61(4):159-165. DOI: 10.3733/ca.v061n04p159. October-December 2007.

abstract

Microbial pollutants, some of which can cause illnesses in humans, chronically contaminate many California water bodies. Among numerous sources, runoff from irrigated pastures has been identified as an important regulatory target for improving water quality. This study examined the potential to reduce E. coli contamination from cattle in irrigated pastures. During the 14 irrigation events examined, we found that E. coli concentrations were lowest with a combination of three treatments: filtering runoff through a natural wetland, reducing runoff rates, and letting the pasture rest from grazing at least a week prior to irrigation. Integrated pasture and tailwater management are required to significantly reduce E. coli concentrations in runoff.

author affiliations

A.K. Knox was Graduate Student in Ecology, UC Davis, and now is Ecologist, WSP Environmental Strategies, Seattle, Wash. K.W. Tate is Rangeland Watershed Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences; R.A. Dahlgren is Professor of Soil Science, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources; E.R. Atwill is Cooperative Extension Specialist and Director, Western Institute of Food Safety and Security, School of Veterinary Medicine; all at UC Davis.

References

Atwill ER, Hoar B, Pereira MGC, et al. Improved quantitative estimates of low environmental loading and sporadic periparturient shedding of Cryptosporidium parvum in adult beef cattle. Appl Env Microbiol. 2003. 68:10. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.8.4604-4610.2003 [CrossRef]

Atwill ER, Hou L, Karle BM, et al. Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts through vegetated buffer strips and estimated filtration efficiency. Appl Env Microbiol. 2002. 68:27.

Atwill ER, Johnson EM, Klingborg DJ, et al. Age, geographic and temporal distribution of fecal shedding of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in cow-calf herds. Amer J Vet Res. 1999. 60:5.

Atwill ER, Maldonado Camargo S, Phillips R, et al. Quantitative shedding of two genotypes of Cryptosporidium parvum in California ground squirrels. Appl Env Microbiol. 2001. 67:3. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.6.2840-2843.2001 [CrossRef]

Atwill ER, Tate KW, Pereira MGC, et al. Efficacy of natural grass buffers for removal of Cryptosporidium parvum in rangeland runoff. J Food Protect. 2006. 69:84.

Bedard-Haughn A, Tate KW, van Kessel C. Using 15N to quantify vegetative buffer effectiveness for sequestering N in runoff. J Env Qual. 2004. 33:62.

Blahnik T, Day J. The effects of varied hydraulic and nutrient loading rates on water quality and hydrologic distributions in a natural forested treatment wetland. Wetlands. 2000. 20:61. DOI: 10.1672/0277-5212(2000)020[0048:TEOVHA]2.0.CO;2 [CrossRef]

[Cal EPA] California Environmental Protection Agency. 2004. 2002 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List Summary Tables. State Water Resources Control Board; Water Quality, www.swrcb.ca.gov/tmdl/303d_sumtables.html .

Gerba CP, Thurston JA, Falabi JA, et al. Optimization of artificial wetland design for removal of indicator microorganisms and pathogenic protozoa. Water Sci Technol. 1999. 40:8. DOI: 10.1016/S0273-1223(99)00519-3 [CrossRef]

Hill VR. Prospects for pathogen reductions in livestock wastewaters: A review. Crit Rev Env Sci Technol. 2003. 33:235. DOI: 10.1080/10643380390814532 [CrossRef]

Knight RL, Payne WVE, Borer RE, et al. Constructed wetlands for livestock wastewater management. Ecolog Eng. 2000. 15:55. DOI: 10.1016/S0925-8574(99)00034-8 [CrossRef]

Lewis DJ, Atwill ER, Lennox MS, et al. Linking on-farm dairy management practices to storm-flow fecal coliform loading for California coastal watersheds. Env Monitor Assess. 2005. 107:25. DOI: 10.1007/s10661-005-3911-7 [CrossRef]

Li X, Atwill ER, Dunbar LA, et al. Seasonal temperature fluctuation induces rapid inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum. Env Sci Technol. 2005. 39:9. DOI: 10.1021/es040481c [CrossRef]

Meays CL, Broersma K, Nordin R, Mazumder A. Survival of Escherichia coli in beef cattle fecal pats under different levels of solar exposure. Range Ecol Manage. 2005. 58:83. DOI: 10.2111/1551-5028(2005)58[279:SOECIB]2.0.CO;2 [CrossRef]

Quinonez-Diaz MD, Karpiscak MM, Ellman ED, Gerba CP. Removal of pathogenic and indicator microorganisms by a constructed wetland receiving untreated domestic wastewater. J Env Sci Health Part A-Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Env Eng. 2001. 36:20.

Tate KW, Atwill ER, Bartolome JW, Nader GA. Significant E. coli attenuation by vegetative buffers on annual grasslands. J Env Qual. 2006. 35:805. DOI: 10.2134/jeq2005.0141 [CrossRef]

Tate KW, Lancaster DL, Morrison J, Lyle DF. Monitoring helps reduce water quality impacts in flood-irrigated pasture. Cal Ag. 2005. 59:75.

Tate KW, Lyle DF, Lancaster DL, et al. Statistical analysis of monitoring data aids in prediction of stream temperature. Cal Ag. 2005. 59:7.

Tate KW, Nader GA, Lewis DJ, et al. Evaluation of buffers to improve the quality of runoff from irrigated pastures. J Soil Water Cons. 2001. 55:8.

Tate KW, Pereira MGC, Atwill ER. Efficacy of vegetated buffer strips for retaining Cryptosporidium parvum. J Env Qual. 2004. 33:51.

Webster JR, Ehrman TP. Hauer FR, Lamberti GA. Solute dynamics. Methods in Stream Ecology 1996. San Diego, CA:Academic Pr. 145p. 60.


  • Search Article Text 1946 to Present
Advanced Search