2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices (WEBs Project) in Southern Alberta, Canada.
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708-10 Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices (WEBs Project) in Southern Alberta, Canada.



Wednesday, 8 October 2008
George R. Brown Convention Center, Exhibit Hall E
Jim Miller1, Tony Curtis1, Walter Willms1, Elwin Smith1, Andrea Kalischuk2, Barry Olson2, Janelle Villeneuve2, Dennis Lastuka3, Murray Lewis3, Carlyle Ross4, Shane Petry5, Dwayne Rogness6, Kim Schmitt7 and David S. Chanasyk8, (1)Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, PO Box 3000, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
(2)Alberta Agriculture and Food, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada
(3)Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (PFRA), Lethbridge, AB T1J ON8, Canada
(4)Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Edmonton), Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3, Canada
(5)Fisheries and Oceans, Lethbridge, AB T1J ON8, Canada
(6)County of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4E4, Canada
(7)Ducks Unlimited, Red Deer, AB T1K 2Z3, Canada
(8)Department of Renewable Resources, 751 General Services Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T8C 1B9, Canada
The Lower Little Bow watershed in Alberta is one of seven WEBS watersheds across Canada.  Five BMPs are being evaluated in this watershed.  They include streambank fencing, off-stream watering with no fencing, conversion to greencover, grass and mixed grass-shrub buffers, and manure management.  The major water quality parameters evaluated were sediment (TSS), nutrients (TN, TP) and bacteria (E. coli).  Preliminary results indicate that streambank fencing is generally effective at maintaining water quality for TSS, TN, TP, and E. coli.  Exclusion grazing did not improve runoff quality compared to grazed pastures, suggesting direct fecal contamination of the river was more likely than runoff from adjacent land.  In contrast, the effectiveness of off-stream watering with no fencing depended on the variable of interest.  Little or no runoff into grass buffers located on flat sandy soils adjacent to the river indicated that buffers in this watershed are not required.  Conversion from barley to alfalfa did not improve runoff quality, and was related to the greater surface residue or mulch present under barley.  Applying manure based on P instead of N reduced certain dissolved forms of P, but it did not reduce TP in runoff.   Preliminary results indicate that of the five BMPs investigated, streambank fencing seems to be the most effective BMP.   
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