Abstract. Reclaimed mined land has low organic matter and nutrient levels. Poultry litter could supply both but its effects on vadose zone water quality must be addressed. Poultry litter rates of 0, 9, 18, or 27 Mg ha 1 yr 1 or 202 kg ha 1 ofN fertilization were evaluated on tall fescue, alone and with birdsfoot trefoil, on mined land in a randomized complete block design. Lysimeters were installed on selected treatments to collect vadose water for ammonium, nitrate and orthophosphate analysis and fecal coliform counts. Tue 27 Mg ha· 1 litter rate and the 202 kg ha 1 fertilizer rate resulted in the highest DM yields of 1.3 and 1.7 Mg ha 1 respectively compared with 0.2 Mg ha 1 for the control on three harvests during 1999. However, the higher litter application rates decreased legume proportion in the mixture. Water analyses showed elevated levels of nitrate for fertilizer plots and phosphate for litter plots. Initial results indicate that large increases in yield result from poultry litter and fertilizer application.