and riparian areas,” she says. “What happens on the land is refl ected in our creeks, so understanding the connection between uplands, ri- parian areas and water resources is important.” Riparian vegetation is special-
ized, with plant species having dense roots that provide valuable functions and benefi ts to the land and water. For example, knotgrass, a common riparian plant, has 18.8 miles of roots per cubic foot and spikerush has 22 miles of roots. Upland species such as curly mes- quite and sideoats grama, on the other hand, have only 0.5 miles and 0.8 miles, respectively, and do not perform these functions as well. Many activities can hinder the
health or recovery of riparian areas. Grazing is one activity that infl u- ences riparian vegetation on most stream and river systems in Texas. Like people, cattle are drawn to riparian areas for their lush green vegetation, shade from trees and cool, clean water. “Overgrazing damages riparian
vegetation and renders it ineffec- tive at building and holding creek banks,” Nelle explains. “Grazing management in riparian settings should strive to provide short graz- ing periods followed by long rest periods in order to maintain or en- hance desired plant communities. In fact, in some regions, only a few weeks of grazing each year may be appropriate to maintain good riparian vegetation. Separate ri- parian pastures combined with an observant and diligent manager can help support this kind of special- ized grazing.” Other important riparian prac-
tices for livestock include provid- ing alternative water and feeding locations for livestock and shade or shelter away from the creek to
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