Home >> Current Projects >> Turkey Creek Watershed Cost Share Program

The Pine Country RC&D Council completed a $705,000 project which  focused on a segment of Turkey Creek in Laurens County.  As delineated in Georgia's Section 303(d) and Section 305(b) Reports, Water Quality in Georgia, 2002, 21 miles of Turkey Creek was identified as "Not Supporting" and "Partially Supporting" its designated uses due to nonpoint source pollution with fecal coliform as the criteria violated.  Nonpoint sources of fecal coliform bacteria are diffuse sources that cannot be easily identified as entering a watershed at one centralized location.  Potential sources in the watershed included municipalities, agriculture, wildlife, and septic systems.

Livestock grazing practices are performed on approximately 24% of the land within the Turkey Creek Watershed.  There are approximately 8,000 animals grazing within this portion of the watershed.  Livestock grazing on pastureland, forestland, and cropland deposit their feces onto land surfaces which can be transported by rain events to nearby streams. Also, the traditional practice of cattle watering and standing in streams and ponds has been identified as a source of fecal coliform bacteria. 

This project focused on targeting agricultural producers in the watershed and offering them an incentive payment to apply Best Management Practices that reduced  fecal loading into adjacent streams and ponds. The project was funded with a grant from the "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act".

Thirty-one livestock farmers participated in the project. The most common Best Management Practices that were installed included: Heavy Use Areas, Livestock Exclusion, and Alternative Watering Systems. Participants were reimbursed for 60% of the installation costs.  There were over 90 Heavy Use Areas installed, 10 alternative watering systems installed, and over 7 miles of use exclusion fence installed.