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Both areas were involved in different types of cattle grazing strategies. Also included in this paper is a literature review of results from projects that studied similar yet more extensive channel measurements. Conclusions about impacts that different cattle grazing management strategies have on stream channel characteristic are made.
The quality of fish habitats and riparian areas has become a concern for land managers. The impact that humans have on the land through management is becoming more apparent. The degree of impact of cattle grazing in riparian zones on streambanks and channel morphology has been analyzed by studying many different aspects of the interaction between them. Some impacts were evaluated by considering changes in vegetation composition and cover, sedimentation and embeddedness, changes in stream widths and depths, changes in sinuosity, soil moisture, and changes in streambank undercuts for fish habitat. This paper examines the results of these studies as well as the results found in width to depth ratios studies done in Colville, Washington, and near Monterrey, Mexico. The width to depth ratios measured in Washington suggest that cattle grazing strategies are within proper management thresholds for that area. Results from the segment of research conducted in Mexico suggest that strategies used in that area are apparently outside the realm of proper grazing. Based from findings displayed in the literature review and those found in my small-scale studies, I conclude that cattle grazing in riparian areas can cause damage to channel characteristics if managed improperly. However, if careful considerations are taken into account, cattle grazing in riparian areas can leave channels unharmed and, in some cases, improve quality of this habitat.