The Beaver Creek watershed drains about 95,000
acres in Fayette, Haywood, Shelby and Tipton counties. Two-thirds
is crop land: cotton, soybeans, small grains and corn are the major
crops.
 Soils
in the watershed are very productive but also very erosive; one
landowner describes the soils as "...melting like sugar and
running like water." EPA identifies soil erosion as one of
the biggest ways agriculture may affect water quality. Erosion is
a concern because it contributes sediment to surface water and also
because eroding soil particles may carry pesticides and fertilizers.
In response to concerns of farm families in the
watershed, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the US Geological
Survey launched an extensive investigation in 1989 on the effects
of agricultural practices on water quality and the extent to which
best management practices (BMPs) may reduce these impacts. In 1991,
Beaver Creek was selected as a Hydrologic Unit Area (HUA) project
as part of the US Department of Agriculture's national water quality
initiative. The HUA project focused on controlling erosion and associated
movement of pesticides and nutrients.
The results of all the efforts, in a nutshell,
was to show that BMPs work. Coordinated USDA programs of education,
technical assistance and cost-share financing helped many farm families
to voluntarily adopt BMPs. Monitoring showed significant reductions
in sediment, pesticides and nutrients in the water coming off fields
using no-till and other BMPs.
Beaver Creek has gained national attention for
its success and the implications of the results. Documents linked
to this page discuss Beaver Creek, its implications and BMPs. The
final report is a good place to start. Support for this outreach
effort comes in part from Syngenta,
the Tennessee
Department of Agriculture, and the USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension Service.
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