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Grazing land stocking rate

Livestock access to waterways

Pasture improvement

 

 

 

 

Management Activity

Ponded pastures are natural or constructed pondages of water into which pasture species have been planted for grazing.  Ponded pastures can be permanent or periodic.  Common ponded pasture species include para grass (Brachiaria mutica), aleman grass (Echinochloa polystachya cv. Aminty) and hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexicaulus cv. Olive); all of which are now regarded as invasive species.  The use of ponded pastures can have detrimental affects on the coastal environment, marine productivity, fish migrations, natural wetlands, cropping lands and drainage efficiencies. A ponded pasture policy has been developed by the Queensland government to address the need for controls over the location, design and management of ponded pastures.

The direct impacts of ponded pasture use may include:

• Introduction of new plant species
• Increased invasion of environmental weeds 
• Increased invasion of production system weeds 
• Altered seasonal flows 
• Reduced stream flow 
• Streambank and bed degradation 
• Increased soil waterlogging  
• Improved grazing animal productivity