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From Headwaters to High Tide

Water’s Impact on Cattle Producers from Coast to Coast

Water is the lifeblood of every living creature on earth, and while it is necessary for our existence, its uncertain availability and timing impact cattle producers differently. In some regions of the United States, drought continues to plague producers, while in other areas flooding poses its own problems on animal well-being and productivity. And if water quantity isn’t an issue, water quality is bound to be a concern.

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As the original natural resource conservationists, cattle producers across the country prioritize water management not only to maintain economic stability, but also to share land and water resources with neighbors, communities and future generations. Producers are committed to continuous improvement, which is demonstrated by the production of more beef with fewer inputs. A recent Beef Checkofffunded research study found that between 1991 and 2019, U.S. beef cattle blue water consumption per kilogram of beef decreased by 37.6%, and total water use for the U.S. cattle herd decreased by 29%.1

Water is a complex issue, so where do we begin to discuss its impact on the cattle industry? It all starts somewhere, and Colorado, a headwaters state, is one source for the precious resource, providing water to 18 U.S. states and Mexico. Rivers begin with melting snow high in the Rocky Mountains, as a trickle that gathers momentum through streams and tributaries, eventually becoming powerful waterways that carve canyons and provide water to millions of people and animals downstream.

The Continental Divide (also known as the Great Divide) traverses from Alaska south through Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, ending up at the southernmost point at the Strait of Magellan in Chile. In the continental U.S., this dividing line diverts water either toward the Pacific Ocean to the west or the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean to the east.

As we follow the flow of water from headwaters to high tide, cattle producers share their stories of tragedy and triumph related to this essential resource. Our journey begins on Colorado’s Eastern Plains.

Continental Divide

Manuello’s Inc.

Sterling, Colorado

Gene Manuello’s ranch lies 6 miles north of the small northeastern Colorado town of Sterling in the South Platte River Valley. Proud to raise “corn, alfalfa and T-bones,” Manuello is the third generation to manage the diversified operation, which began in the late 1920s. Even with senior water rights providing Manuello with early and primary access to available water, their biggest challenge is drought.

To survive in semi-arid conditions, with precipitation averaging 15 inches a year, Manuello use sprinklers to water crops, which use water efficiently and can help increase yields. Lagoons on their 3,000-head feedlot capture runoff, protecting the integrity of surface and groundwater. In addition, since the early 2000s, groundwater depletions have been replaced through augmentation which has made the river healthier.

Manuello also manages grazing rates based on the condition and quality of grasses, preventing overgrazing and overuse. Unfortunately, recent drought has degraded the condition of grasses, and it will take several years for pastures to fully recover.

Manuello lives and breathes water. Even when he is not managing resources on his own operation, he is actively involved with local organizations such as the Northern Water Conservancy District, Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District, Logan Well Users, Colorado Ag Water Alliance and Sterling Irrigation Ditch Company as well as the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association.

“Farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of land, but we need to make a living off what we own, growing crops and raising livestock,” Manuello said. “If we don’t the keep land and water in the best condition, then we can’t reap the benefits.”

Next, we travel to the West Coast, where producers in California and Washington share unique perspectives about water quantity and quality and their impact on cattle and communities.

Average Annual Precipitation: 15 inches

Facts

Water is the most common substance found on earth.

Water is the only substance found commonly in all elemental forms: solid, liquid and gas.

One gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds.

The average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home, with roughly 70% of this use occurring indoors.2

Koopmann Ranch Sunol, California

Located an hour’s drive from the San Francisco metropolis, Koopmann Ranch sits in a valley of productive annual grasslands surrounded by steep ridges. Tim Koopman manages the ranch that was originally purchased by his grandfather and greatgrandfather in 1918 for $35/acre. Born and raised on the ranch, Koopman knows first-hand how drought conditions have impacted his family over the years.

Severe drought in 1975-77 almost caused the family to liquidate and, in the mid-1980s, cattle were shipped to Oregon to accommodate drought conditions. More recently, droughts have run together the last several years, with the ranch receiving only about half the average annual rainfall (10 inches) each year. The lack of rain has impacted forage production and stock water.

Man-made stock ponds were built through the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the ‘50s and ‘60s, however, springs were not productive, and ponds did not fill. Utilizing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Koopman developed springs on the ranch and installed solar pumps, which helped move water (and cattle) to ridge tops allowing for a better utilization of pastures.

In addition to drought, the planting of almond and walnut trees in surrounding areas is impacting water availability. Wells as far as 2,000 feet deep are being drilled, drawing a huge amount from the aquifer and rendering shallow wells non-productive.

While lack of rain has been the primary challenge for the ranch throughout its history, the new year brought heavy downpours which blocked culverts and flooded the Koopmans’ hay barn and destroyed expensive feed. Uncompacted fill material from a neighboring property also ended up on Koopman’s ranch, leaving 152 truckloads of material to clean up.

Despite water challenges, either too much or not enough, Koopman continues to manage cattle numbers, develop rotational grazing plans, and monitor for noxious invasive species all for the benefit for everything living on the ranch, including endangered species. Koopman has created a conservation easement and worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to reconstruct spillways preserving ponds which provide habitat for the California Tiger Salamander as well as endangered frog species and butterflies. The ranch is also home to 92 nesting boxes for the Western Blue Bird. Koopman understands that everything needs water, and the ranch plays a vital role in providing the lifepreserving resource for a host of different species.

“I’m not afraid of having endangered species on the ranch,” Koopman said. “Their presence shows that we’ve done a good job of managing our property.”

Koopman is actively involved with state and local Farm Bureaus, cattlemen’s organizations and serves on the Environmental Stewardship Award Program Committee. In addition to his community involvement, Koopman regularly hosts guests, including the Rangelands 101 class from the University of California-Berkley. Each year students come to the ranch often with incorrect pre-conceived notions about ranching. Koopman takes the opportunity to show what actually goes on, and after a tour, meal and a few conversations, he has changed some minds.

“If we don’t take care of the land, it will not provide for us,” Koopman said. “We must work with Mother Nature to manage lands to benefit all living things.”

Rose Ranch South Bend, Washington

Located 2 feet above sea level and only 50 feet from Willapa Bay, water surrounds Rose Ranch. Third-generation rancher Jim Rose is committed to maintaining water quality and preserving his family’s 100-year-old cattle ranch.

Rose’s grandfather was a meat cutter by trade and drove cattle into the area using a Model T. The family raised cattle for the local butcher shop they owned in a nearby town. Before the farm was established, water flowed over fields during high tide, but a series of tide gates and pipes were installed early on to prevent field flooding.

Today, Pacific County, Washington, is not cow country, and there are only two full-time cattle producers in the area. The environment is more conducive to oysters, which is big business in South Bend, the self-proclaimed “Oyster Capital of the World.”

Oysters are filter feeders, and if the water is dirty they become unsellable. The state department of health tests water in the bay regularly, so water quality is paramount. Rose works closely with his oystermen neighbors to keep the water clean. Exclusion fencing keeps cattle from entering water sources, and rotational grazing keeps cattle moving. Rose also reduces swampy areas to keep cattle standing in clean, dry sod.

With so much rain, Rose struggles with mud and uses shavings from local sawmills to provide dry bedding, especially during calving season. He also uses oyster shells in hightraffic areas to reduce mud and runoff.

In addition to the cattle enterprise, Rose contracts with a logger to harvest timber each year, which provides an additional source of income. The timber is on a 50-year rotation plan with 5-10 acres harvested each year. Depending on the tree species, logs travel to different processing facilities to be used in a variety of products.

Rose works closely with his neighbors in numerous ways including serving on the Farm Forestry Association, Voluntary Stewardship Program as well as the local Conservation District and School Board. With his sons managing some of the daily ranch operations, Rose’s time has freed up to volunteer more, including lobbying the legislature regarding issues affecting agriculture.

“Our industry is under so much scrutiny, but as a whole producers are very conscientious of our own impacts,” Rose said. “We may face different challenges, but we continuously improve, because if we don’t, we’ll be regulated out of business.”

Dee River Ranch

Aliceville, Alabama

Sometimes it isn’t about too much or too little moisture, but rather the timing of precipitation. States in the Southeast often receive enough rainfall, however, it doesn’t arrive at the right time. One producer in Alabama has learned how to capture and redistribute the precious resource.

While Annie Dee didn’t grow up on a farm, her father’s investment property in Florida eventually led her to a career in cattle in Alabama. Dee’s father purchased property in Florida in the 1950s, which he sold to the Southwest Florida Water Management District in 1989. The family then moved to Alabama, and Dee became a first-generation producer, along with her brother, Mike. Dee River Ranch now grows corn, soybeans and timber, in addition to raising crossbred cattle with Angus, Brahman, Hereford and Charolais genetics.

While Aliceville, Alabama, receives nearly 60 inches of rain each year, its timing is problematic. Most of the moisture arrives in the winter, making pastures muddy. It gets dry in the summer, and row crops don’t receive the rain they need to survive. To collect water in the winter and store it for use during the growing season, the Dee family built a 115 surfaceacre reservoir.

“The reservoir helps us capitalize on the rainfall we receive, even if it doesn’t come at the right time,” Dee said. “It’s also important to conserve whatever water resources we receive.”

While the reservoir helped solve the problem of redistributing water resources, the winter rain still created muddy areas where cattle can get bogged down. More than 15 years ago, Dee worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to install fabric, rock and sand around gates and water/feed troughs which reduced mud in heavy use areas and improved how animals and people get around.

Dee River Ranch incorporates no till practices to minimize wind and water erosion, and cover crops help protect the soil and keep fertilizer in place. Dee understands that their efforts directly impact others since water in local creeks and streams eventually ends up in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are simply caretakers of the land,” Dee said. “By improving soil health and reducing erosion and runoff, we can leave the land better than we found it, which benefits both the environment and the operation.”

Dee’s dedication extends beyond the farm gate through her involvement with local conservation associations as well as serving on the board of the West Alabama Food Bank. She is passionate about making sure people in the community are fed and believes that everyone can make a difference by ensuring people have the food they need to eat, thrive and exist.

Overhome Farm Crozier, Virginia

Finally, our journey ends on the East Coast where concern for downstream neighbors drives a Virginia producer’s desire to protect water quality.

In the rolling hills of Virginia, 20 miles west of Richmond, Overhome Farm receives adequate precipitation to keep fields green, providing cattle with the nourishment they need throughout the year. Located only one mile from the James River, which eventually drains into the Chesapeake Bay, maintaining water quality is the primary focus for Ronnie Nuckols and his family.

The land where Overhome Farm rests is steeped in history, originally deeded in 1717, with tobacco as the primary crop for more than 100 years. In 1876, Nuckols’ great-grandfather purchased the property, which was mostly left fallow except for raising food to keep the family self-sufficient. For 70 years the land and soil healed, then the property entered active production once again with Nuckols’ grandfather harvesting timber in 1950 and starting a commercial cow herd in the 1960s.

When Nuckols took over part of the farm after his father passed in 2008, he needed to change his thinking regarding land and soil management. He had worked 35 years in the excavation and grading business, removing topsoil and replacing it with gravel or buildings. Once he started working with cattle, Nuckols realized the true value of soil.

Cattle once roamed freely among three 100-acre pastures and had access to perennial streams and ponds across the property, but when Nuckols began managing 175 acres of the farm, he installed interior fencing to establish a rotational grazing plan. Nuckols also worked with the local water and soil district to install a 35-foot buffer along all streams and ponds, keeping cattle out and decreasing erosion and sedimentation. There is now a pumping station at one pond, which transports water to a storage tank at the top of the property that funnels water to 12-13 water stations located throughout the pastures.

When Nuckols first created the buffer zones he thought he was losing grazing land, however, by implementing a

Average Annual Precipitation: 42 inches rotational grazing plan he more than made up for the buffer loss. In addition, an unintended benefit was the walking trail created around the property that Nuckols and his family enjoy, creating lasting memories.

“If cattle were in those streams, the memories we’ve made as a family would have never happened,” Nuckols reflected.

Nuckols shares his experiences with others by serving as a director on the local soil and water district, engaging with cattlemen’s associations, and mentoring farmers and ranchers through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s mentor program. His efforts, along with those of other farms along the James River, are having a cumulative positive impact downstream and are creating better landscapes by keeping the land covered, creating healthy stands of good grass, and reducing runoff to streams.

“Before we fenced out cattle from streams, shorelines were ruined,” Nuckols said. “Now, vegetation has grown back, and we are helping preserve the Chesapeake Bay downstream. Oyster harvests there have improved, and we played a role in making that happen.”

To the land and livestock, water is crucial, and it is a resource that farmers and ranchers across the country work hard to protect.

Sources:

1. Klopatek, S. C. and J. W. Oltjen. 2022. How advances in animal efficiency and management have affected beef cattle’s water intensity in the United States: 1991 compared to 2019. J. of Anim. Sci. 100(11). doi:10.1093/jas/skac297

2. EPA, https://www.epa.gov/watersense/how-we-use-water

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