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Exclusionary Fencing at Lumsley Fork Creek
Project Date: November, 2018
Location: Goodlettsville, TN
Waterway improved: Lumsley Fork Creek in the Mansker Creek Watershed
Restoration methods: Exclusionary fencing
Clean Water and Healthy Cattle at Root Hollow Farm

In November of 2018, the Cumberland River Compact worked with Mr. Jim Root of Root Hollow Farm Goodlettsville, Tennessee to install exclusionary fencing along a section of Lumsley Fork Creek. Lumsley Fork Creek runs through Mr. Root’s farm in the Mansker Creek watershed. Exclusionary fencing is a special kind of fencing used on farms to keep livestock out of sensitive areas like streams. Cattle are a common cause of siltation and e. Coli in waterways, so this exclusionary fencing serves to keep Mr. Root’s cattle out of the creek and prevent erosion and e. Coli issues. It has also improved his cattle’s health.

Eighty-two percent of the Mansker Creek watershed is considered impaired, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) list of impaired and threatened waters (also known as the 303(d) list).  Lumsley Fork Creek and the creek it feeds into, Mansker Creek, are impaired by bacteria, sediment, low oxygen, and degraded habitat.

Here’s why these issues are problematic:

  • A bacterial impairment (often e. Coli) can occur because of municipal waste mismanagement or livestock manure entering waterways. 
  • Excess sediment, or dirt, that washes into a stream can smother aquatic organisms. Dirt also tends to pick up pollutants as it travels into waterways. Sedimentation typically occurs because of construction or agricultural activities that destabilize the ground, although many different human activities can cause it.
  • Low oxygen, also known as hypoxia, can kill the plant and animal life found in a healthy stream system. Hypoxic conditions can be caused by chemical fertilizers from farms, lawns, or golf courses running off into streams and storm drains. 
  • Degraded habitat is a term that encompasses many different alterations to a stream that make it less hospitable to wildlife; often, it refers to the loss of streamside vegetation (i.e. riparian buffers), stream and river channel straightening, dams, and more.

The Cumberland River Compact works with farmers, landowners, and members of the public to remedy waterway impairments like these. The Compact’s priority is to find a solution that serves the farmer, the cattle, the creek, and all the life the creek supports.

Partnership with the Soil & Water Conservation District

Prior to the fencing project with the Compact, Mr. Root worked with the Davidson County Soil & Water Conservation District to install an alternative watering system for his cattle in a heavy use area. This adjustment offers his cattle clean drinking water in an area that is stabilized by concrete. Now, they can access sufficient clean water without entering the creek. This keeps them off of the banks of the creek, Farmers can go to their county Soil & Water Conservation District, NRCS, or Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement (ARC) fund to help pay for solutions like this.

Exclusion fencing at Root Hollow Farm protects Lumsley Fork Creek.
Exclusion fencing at Root Hollow Farm protects Lumsley Fork Creek.

An Expert in Animal Care

Mr. Root recounted the project at a Compact-led workshop for farmers. He spoke not only of the improved health of his land but also of his cattle, finding fewer cases of foot rot. As a retired veterinarian, Mr. Root is an expert in animal care, and was pleased by this additional benefit of the exclusionary fencing.

Funding For This Project

This cooperative project was funded, in part, by an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Nonpoint Source Program, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

To find the quality of a river or stream near you, visit https://mywaterway.epa.gov/ for more information.