Livestock in the Rivers
When livestock wade directly into rivers and streams, it may seem harmless, but the impacts add up quickly. Cattle trample riverbanks, breaking down soil and vegetation that normally protect against erosion. Their waste adds bacteria and excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, fueling harmful algal blooms and degrading water quality. Hooves stir up sediment, clouding the water and smothering aquatic habitats. Over time, this steady pressure can weaken entire river ecosystems, making them less resilient for fish, wildlife, and the people who rely on clean water downstream.
What Is PRKN Doing About This Issue?
Get the Cattle Out Campaign
Shenandoah Riverkeeper is proud to say that nearly every cattle herd has been fenced out of the Shenandoah River as well as the North and South Forks due to our involvement and encouragement to protect our precious water resources.
We worked with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to bring about widespread change, one farm at a time, that our rivers sorely needed. Virginia cattle no longer loaf in the Shenandoah River and her Forks during the summer months to cool off thanks to our persistent work on the problem, which contributes bacteria, sediment and nutrient pollution to the water. Only one farm in West Virginia still allows cattle to have unrestricted access to the main stem of the Shenandoah River. State regulations that have been helpful with our efforts in Virginia simply do not exist in wild, wonderful West Virginia.
We are taking our successful approach upstream and are working to solve agricultural water pollution problems throughout the watershed. To create a cattle- free Shenandoah, we work directly with herd owners and the State of Virginia to support fencing projects and cost-share programs. Our staff regularly patrols the Shenandoah Valley roads and navigable rivers looking for new water problems. If you see cattle in the Shenandoah River or her Forks, please let us know about it.
