Barnyard Runoff Control: Planning, Design, Construction, Documentation Peter Wright PE Agricultural Engineer PRO-DAIRY LCBP, NEIWPCC, and EPA are funding partners 1
Vermont RAP Section 6. Required Agricultural Practices; Conditions, Restrictions, and Operating Standards 6.01 Discharges a) Farms shall not create any discharge of agricultural wastes to surface waters of the State through a discrete conveyance such as, but not limited to, a pipe, ditch, or conduit without a permit from the Secretary of ANR. b) Production areas, barnyards, animal holding or feedlot areas, manure storage areas, and feed storage areas shall utilize runoff and leachate collection systems, diversion, or other management strategies in order to prevent the discharge of agricultural wastes to surface water or groundwater.
NRCS Standards efotg http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/ Standards Statements of Work Guidelines Specifications O&M
NRCS Standards Filter Strip Standard (VT 393) Heavy Use Area Protection Standard (VT 561) Roofs and Covers (NAT 367) Roof Runoff Structure (VT 558) Waste Treatment (VT 629) Ag Waste Management Supplement Milking Wastewater Infiltration System https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/internet/fse_documents/nrcs142p2_010237.pdf
NRCS O&M OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR WASTE TREATMENT - MILKHOUSE WASTEWATER INFILTRATION AREA OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR HEAVY USE AREA PROTECTION
Vermont Farm*A*Syst Worksheet #10 Assessing the Risk of Groundwater Contamination from Milkhouse Wastewater Treatment Worksheet #8 Assessing the Risk of Groundwater Contamination from Barn Yard Management
Concentrated Sources Waste Wash water Barnyard runoff Silage Leachate
Estimated BOD LB/yr 50000 45000 40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Milking Center Waste Silage Leachate Barnyard Runoff Domestic Waste
Estimated N LB/yr 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Milking Center Waste Sila ge Leachate Barnyard Runoff Domestic Waste
Estimated P LB/yr 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Milking Center Waste Silage Leachate Barnyard Runoff Domestic Waste
Concentrated Sources Amounts and concentrations vary daily seasonally from farm to farm They can be Managed When Rain Driven the impact is less diluted not observed
Concentrations N P Milking Center 400 ppm 60 ppm Silage Leachate 4,400 500 Barnyard 1,000 200 Manure 5,600 900 Domestic Waste 30 7
Annual Load from Concentrated Sources N P Milking Center 3,000 lb 30 lb Silage Leachate 3,900 440 Barnyard 700 150 Manure 31,600 5,000 Domestic Waste 70 22
Concentrated Sources Pollution is Perception Total load from manure spreading But: Concentrated sources = point sources Concentrated Sources will be closely examined
Conclusions Concentrated sources need to be controlled Prevention is key Look for low cost alternatives to treatment
Prevention Eliminate Reduce Reuse
Barnyards?
Time spent out of barn vs size 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 cows
Barnyards Eliminate Reduce the size Reduce the runoff Exclude outside water Pavement increases runoff Vital to control runoff flow Protect Groundwater
NRCS Standard Source Control Scrape, time in barnyard, waterers Solid removal Daily - Weekly Size: 50 ft 2 /Animal Unit Location: Outside 25 year floodplain 200 ft from wells and potable water
Abuse Areas Purpose? Increased loading Fences can be moved Image
Barnyards Sized correctly Clean surface water diverted Paved and curbed Runoff controlled
Roof Runoff Structure Ice and snow Fasteners Below projected roof line Capacity Gutter size Downspout location and size Animal Protection Outlet O&M
Clean Water Exclusion Diversion Curb Roof runoff Roof
Ground Gutter Gravel Trench 20% of Volume as storage CPP or PVC 2 ft under Outlet Clean out
Paved and Curbed
Roll Curbs?
Buck Wall
Surface treatment
Barnyard Runoff Storage
Wetland Treatment Constructed, not natural Storage for winter Sized properly Controlled outlet
Vegetated Filter Strip Control solids No continuous liquid flow Will reduce BOD and total Phosphorus Not as effective on soluble nutrients without infiltration Won t treat concentrated flows
Vegetated filter strip to treat BOTH: barnyard runoff and milkhouse wastewater
VFS has Two Discharge Points Milkhouse wastewater P concentrations Avg - 16 mg/l, Range from 10 to 21 mg/l
4-5 hour Discharge pipes Flow moves to outside of gravel trench and spreader board
Flow bypassing outside of constructed VFS
Creating barnyard runoff
Screens and Collector Drop Box
25 Average DP Removal in a Grass VFS on Lackawanna sl Dissolved P Concentration, mg/l 20 15 10 5 Responses and modeling results <---- y = -0.0814x + 20.306 y = 23.817e -0.0123x R 2 = 0.8903 R 2 = 0.8443 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Distance from a Loading Source, feet
100 Dissolve P Removal in a Grass VFS on Lackawanna sl Performance as Percent P Removal Phosphorus Removal, % 75 50 25 Average Wet Period Average Dry Period Average 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Distance from Loading Source, feet
Barnyard Runoff Estimated Nitrogen Fate Immobilized Soil OM 20% Denitrified 20% Volatilization 20% Crop Uptake 30% Leaching 10% Total 100%
Barnyard Runoff Estimated Nitrogen Fate Immobilized Soil OM Denitrified Volatilization Crop Uptake Leaching Total 100 Lbs. 100 Lbs. 100 Lbs. 150 Lbs. 50 Lbs. 500 Lbs. N/Acre
Barnyard Runoff Assumptions: 20 gallons manure /cow per day 32 Lbs. N/1000 gallons of manure 230 Lbs. N / cow per year Time in barnyard proportional to manure left Daily cleaning leaves 10% available to flow Settling removes 25% of N
Barnyard Runoff 230 Lbs. N / cow per year 10% Time in barnyard 23 Lbs. N/cow/yr. Daily cleaning leaves 10% available to flow 2.3 Lbs. N/cow/yr. Settling removes 25% of N 1.7 Lbs. N/cow/yr.
Pollution Prevention Eliminate Reduce Recycle
Barnyards Purpose? Holding Feeding or water Resting Exercise Heat detection Eliminate!!
Barnyard Purpose? Holding Small 15 Square Feet per cow Roof Eliminate!!
Barnyard Purpose? Feeding or water 30 Square Feet per Cow 24 hr Access? Feed quality? Decay Ration Eliminate!!
Barnyard Purpose? Resting 50 Square Feet per Cow Cow comfort in the barn? Stalls Floors Ventilation Eliminate!!
Barnyard Purpose? Exercise 2 miles a day? Hoof management Eliminate!!
Barnyard Purpose? Heat detection Use Secondary Signs Other methods Eliminate!!
Heat Detection Primary Signs Mounting Access Footing Secondary Signs Milk reduction Discharge Behavior Synchronized ovulation OVSYNCH $8/cow
Barnyards Eliminate Reduce Relocate
Conclusions: Concentrated Sources Need to be Controlled Prevention is Key Look for Low Cost Alternatives to Treatment