Field observations suggest that cattle are important agents in causing streambanks to erode, but many other variables are involved, and is difficult to isolate the role of cattle. Instead, an empirical approach, based on long-term controlled experiment, was adopted along a small perennial stream in Tennessee. The results showed that uncontrolled grazing caused about six times as much gross bank erosion as occurred on the protected control stretch. However, most of this difference was due to breakdown of banks by trampling and consequent erosion, rather than by bank scour caused by removal of bank vegetation by grazing. Bank vegetation alone did not appear to be a primary control. A relatively inexpensive grade-control structure reduced the gross bank erosion by about 50%. The rapid destruction of streambanks observed in this study suggests that reduction of geomorphic resistance, by uncontrolled stock access to streambanks, has been an important factor in the stream widening that has taken place during historically in the eastern United States.
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