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To interpret the effects of best management practices on water quality at a regional or large watershed scale, likely response times at various scales must be known. Therefore, four small ( less than or equal to 1 ha [ less than or equal to 2.5 ac]) watersheds, in rotational grazing studies at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed near Coshocton, Ohio, were used to study management impacts on water quality and response times. Surface runoff was sampled on an event basis; groundwater discharge was sampled monthly from springs developed where a perching clay layer outcropped at the soil surface. In four large watersheds ranging from 18 to 123 ha (44 to 303 ac), base flow was over 50% of annual stream flow and...
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Pasture management practices can affect forage quality and production, animal health and production, and surface and groundwater quality. In a 5-yr study conducted at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed near Coshocron, Ohio, we compared the effects of two contrasting grazing methods on surface and subsurface water quantity and quality. Four pastures, each including a small, instrumented watershed (0.51-1.09 ha) for surface runoff measurements and a developed spring for subsurface flow collection, received 112 kg N ha (super -1) yr (super -1) and were grazed at similar stocking rates (1.8-1.9 cows ha (super -1) ). Two pastures were continuously stocked; two were subdivided so that they were grazed with frequent...
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