Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effect Of Feedlots On Water Quality, Ronald D. Cheetham, Alan J. Holmes, David Borresen

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The effect of feedlot runoff on water quality was examined. Samples were collected from river feedlots and offshore from lake feedlots and compared with samples from appropriate control sites. Bacterial contamination, as measured by the total coliform test over two successive summers, exhibited significant variation between feedlot and control sites. Coliform levels at lake sites adjacent to feedlots were double the levels at control sites; while in river systems average coliform levels downstream from feedlots were approximately 17 times the upstream controls.