MULTIMETRIC APPROACH TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF CATTLE GRAZING ON THE HEALTH OF CATAWBA CREEK, VIRGINIA, USA

Catawba Creek flows through Roanoke and Botetourt counties in the Valley and Ridge province of southwestern Virginia, USA. Little data are available regarding how agricultural land use affects stream health. This study aims to determine which hydrogeological and stream assessment method is most useful in determining the impact of cattle grazing on Catawba Creek. We used physical assessments of geomorphology and bed characteristics, benthic macroinvertebrate surveys, and water chemistry tests in grazing and non-grazing stream reaches. Additionally, a GIS analysis of soil erodibility, topographic slope, and land use was performed to pinpoint the most vulnerable sites along the stream. Preliminary results show that physical assessment scores show significant differences (n=5, p<0.05) between grazed (average=113) and non-grazed (average=136) stream reaches. Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys resulted in significant differences in Simpson’s Index (grazed=0.3±0.2, non-grazed=0.1±0.04), Shannon’s Index (grazed=1.8±0.6, non-grazed=2.4±0.2), and functional feeding group analyses. This is the first study of cattle grazing impacts in Catawba Creek, highlighting the erosion and sedimentation issues that are likely prominent in the Appalachian Mountains.