Upper Mill Creek – Off Channel Watering Study

2008

$15,000

$15,000

During the summer when other water sources were scarce, cattle would congregate at several locations along Mill Creek in the upper watershed causing erosion and fecal material deposition in the Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District (GEID) water supply. To reduce the risk posed by the presence of cattle, GEID completed a pilot study in the Mill Creek watershed to assess the effectiveness of installing watering stations away from existing streams and by measuring changes in cattle activity at reservoir lakes and streams. Work began with an inventory of streamside areas which had historic and potential cattle impacts, followed by GEID staff working with the Ministry of Forests and Range (MOFR) and range licensees to reduce streamside cattle presence. Sites were selected for exclusion fencing and an off stream cattle watering trough which were subsequently installed. Treated and non-treated sites were then monitored for the presence of cattle to determine to what extent cattle impacts were reduced around the reservoir and stream edge. Staff at GEID committed to work with Coldstream Ranch and MOFR to maintain the structures constructed over the course of this project.