Hydrologic and water quality implications of management of tall fescue pastures in a Southern Piedmont environment

Runoff and nutrient losses were monitored over two and half years from different fescue management systems that are used by producers in the Georgia Piedmont. A randomized complete block arrangement of 14 paddocks under combinations of a grazing (grazed or hayed), fertilization (poultry litters or inorganic fertilizer) and tall fescue type (high endophyte high alkaloid, high endophyte low alkaloid, and endophyte free) treatments was used. The study was located at the USDA-ARS J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center, near Watkinsville, GA. Treatments did not influence amount of runoff. Mean concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) in runoff were low (< 1 ppm). However, concentrations of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) were elevated in the grazing treatments, and were higher with poultry litter (mean: 1.2 to 3.3 ppm) compared to hayed treatments (mean 0.5 ppm). The study suggests that management practices that reduce DRP losses from grazing lands fertilized with poultry litter or inorganic fertilizer are needed to protect water resources.Sponsored by: Georgia Environmental Protection Division U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Water Science Center U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Water Resources Institute The University of Georgia, Water Resources Facult