Worksheet #7 Reducing the Risk of Groundwater Contamination by Manaqement of Animal Production Wastes Whv should I be concerned? A. Careful handling of wastes from animal production makes it possible to receive some benefit from these wastes. Improperly managed wastes can contribute nutrients and disease-causing organisms to both surface water and groundwater. Nitrate levels in drinking water above federal and state drinking water standards of 10 parts per million @pm) nitrate-nitrogen can pose health problems for infants under 6 months of age, including the condition known as methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Although nitrates can also affect adults, apparently much more can be tolerated. Young animals are also susceptible to health problems from high nitrate-n levels. Levels of 20-40 ppm in drinking water may prove harmful, especially in combination with high levels of nitrate from feed sources. Fecal and coliform bacteria in animal waste can contaminate wells. Odors from animal production or the application of animal wastes can cause problems with neighbors and result in a negative social environment for agriculture. The goal of FLORIDA FarmOAoSyst is to help you protect your drinking water supply. How will this worksheet help me protect my drinking water? It takes you step-by-step through your animal production practices. It ranks your activities according to how they might affect the groundwater that provides your drinking water supplies. It provides you with easy-to-understand rankings that help you analyze the "risk level" of your animal production practices. It helps you determine which of your practices are reasonably safe and effective and which practices might require some modification to better protect your drinking water. How do I complete the worksheet? Follow the directions at the top of the chart on page 3. It should take you about 15-30 minutes to complete this worksheet and figure out your ranking. The definitions on the next page may help you complete Worksheet #7. This project has been hnded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Nonpoint Source Management Program Section 319 grant to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
~~ ~ Glossary Animal Production Wastes Animal waste management plan (AWMP): A specific plan for managing animal wastes for the most benefit and environmental protection. The Natural Resources Conservation Service, a professional engineer registered in Florida or an agricultural consultant should prepare the plan. It should detail the management and disposal of wastes generated in a confined animal operation and include maps of the waste-management facilities and land-application sites. Biological treatment: The decomposition of materials by naturally occurring organisms. Calibration: Determining if equipment is applying the desired amount of material. Confinement house: Any facility where animals or poultry are confined and fed or maintained. Diversion: A channel, embankment, or other man-made structure built to divert water from one area to another. Filter strip: An area of vegetation for removing sediment, organic material, organisms, nutrients, and chemicals in runoff or wastewater. Lagoon: A waste holding and treatment structure which is designed for biological treatment (anaerobic or aerobic). Leachate: Liquids that have percolated through a soil or waste material and contain substances in solution or suspension. Leaching: The removal of soluble materials from soils or other material by water. Lining: A restrictive covering on the bottom of a holding structure to prevent seepage. Manure nutrient analysis: Test of a material to determine its nutrient value (usually N, P, K). N, P, K: Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nutrient budgeting: Calculation of the amount of nutrients that are available and the amounts that are used. Runoff: Water that has not moved into the soil but moves across the soil or another surface. Sealing: See lining. Settling basin: A structure in which settleable solids are removed by gravity. Slurry: Material whose water content is high enough that it can be handled as a liquid. Storage basin: A structure for holding liquid wastes. They can be lined or unlined earthen basins or concrete or steel tanks. Tilth: The physical condition of soil related to its ease of tillage, fitness as a seedbed, and remiction to seedling emergence and root Denetration. 2
Directions: 1. Use a pencil. You may want to make changes. 2. For each category listed on the left that is appropriate to your farmstead, read across to the right and circle the statement that best describes your situation. (Skip and leave blank any categories that don't apply.) Worksheet #7 Animal Production Wastes 3. Look above the description you circled to find your "rank number" (4, 3, 2, or 1) and enter that number in the blank under "your rank. " 4. Directions on overall scoring appear at the end of the worksheet. 5. Allow about 15-30 minutes to complete the worksheet and figure out vour risk ranking. LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK LIVESTOCK WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES General location of Animal wastes and Animal wastes and Animal wastes and Animal wastes and animal wastes and waste handling facili- waste handling facili- waste handling facili- waste handling faciliwaste handling ties located at least ties located within ties located upslope ties located upslope facilities 100 feet downslope 100 feet downslope of and at least 100 feet and within 100 feet of from well or surface well or surface water from well or surface well or surface water water source. source. water source. source. Earthen waste Designed, installed, Designed and No NRCS or Profes- No NRCS or Professtorage pit, pond, or and maintained installed according to sional Engineer sional Engineer lagoon according to NRCS NRCS or Professional design and installation design and installation or Professional Engi- Engineer specifica- specifications. Con- specifications. Conneer specifications. tions but not main- structed in silt loam, structed in sand or tained according to loam, clay loam, or sandy loam soil with specifications. silty clay soils. Water no clay layer. Or table deeper than 20 feet. fractured bedrock or water table shallower than 20 feet. Open air manure Manure stacked on Manure stacked on Manure stacked on Manure stacked on stacks concrete slab and 6-mil plastic or high ground on silt high ground on sand protected with 6-mil packed clay soil layer loam, loam, clay or sandy loam soil. plastic cover. Surface and protected with loam, or silty clay Fractured bedrock or runoff diverted away 6-mil plastic cover. soils. Water table is water table shallower from stack. Surface runoff deeper than 20 feet. than 20 feet. diverted away from stack. ~ 3
~ LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK LIVESTOCK WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES (continued) Contained manure Building with side Roof cover with no Roof cover with no Roof cover with no stacks walls has concrete sidewalls or concrete sidewalls, has earthen sidewalls, has earthen floor, protected from floor with curb. floor on silt loam, floor on sand or surface water runoff. Protected from sur- clay loam, or silty sandy loam soil. Bedding provided to face water runoff. clay soils. Water Water table or fracsoak up leakage from Bedding provided to table or fractured tured bedrock shalmanure. soak up leakage from bedrock deeper than lower than 20 feet. manure. 20 feet. Water diversion All upslope surface Most upslope surface No surface water All surface and roof water and roof runoff water and roof runoff diverted. Some roof water runs through water is diverted water is diverted runoff water collected animal waste areas. from animal waste from animal waste and diverted from areas. areas. animal waste areas. Animal lot runoff No lot runoff. All lot runoff Most of lot runoff Lot runoff Covered lot protected collected and directed collected and diverted uncontrolled. from surface water into waste storage to grassed filter strip. and roof runoff. vond. -~ ~ Animal lot cleaning No lot. All animals Once per week. Once per month. Rarely. and scraping are confined. Waste storage and All animal waste Animal waste storage Animal waste storage Animal waste storage handling facilities storage and handling and handling facilities and handling facilities and handling facilities inspection facilities are routinely are occasionally (once are repaired after are generally ignored (once per week) per month) observed signs of leaks, spills, and not observed for observed for leaks, for leaks, spills, or or overflows are leaks, spills, or spills, or overflows. overflows. Repairs observed. overflows. Repairs are made as are made as needed. needed. - 4
LIVESTOCK WASTE APPLICATlON AREAS Location of waste application areas Soil testing of waste application sites Cali brat ion application equipment of waste LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK All waste application areas are more than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes and have 15% or less slope. Yearly. Waste application equipment is calibrated to proper application rate before each application and checked at least once during application periocations made uniformly over Most waste application areas are more than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcro s, or sinkholes an c f have 15% or less slope. Every 2 years. Several waste application areas are less than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes or have slo es greater than 1Si. Every 3 years. Animal wastes are nearly alwa s spread over areas x at are less than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes or have slopes greater than 15%. Less frequent than every 3 years. Waste application Use custom waste Never calibrate waste equipment is cali- hauler and applicator application equipment brated before each and assume they or ask custom appliapplication but not calibrate their equip- cator about his calirechecked during the ment. Or calibrate bration procedure. a plication period. your equipment only 80 effort made to once a year. assure a plying waste uniform P y over area. area. Nutrient (N, P, K) Based on waste Soil test used. No No waste analysis or No waste analysis or budgeting analysis, soil test, and waste analysis. Nutri- soil test. Nutrient soil test or effort crop nutrient use ent value based on value based on pub- toward nutrient information or done published estimates. lished estimates accounting. according to AWMP. alone. Waste application According to accurate Based on when cro Based on when can Based only on keeptiming nutrient accounting or is at growth stage trat et around to it. ing holding pond or AWMP. Never apply it usually needs fertil- gometimes apply lagoon pumped down. on frozen or saturated izinf Try to avoid when soil is wet or soil. app ing in wet frozen. con itions. Record keeping Good records kept on Fair records kept on Fair records kept on No records kept. farm applications and farm applications and farm applications but wastes leaving farm wastes leaving farm no records on wastes through sales or through sales or leaving farm. giving away. givinp away. 5
SILAGE STORAGE AND LEACHATE LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK Silage storage Storage is downslope Storage is downslope Storage is upslope Storage is upslope locations and at least 100 feet and within 50 feet to more than 100 feet within 100 feet of from well or surface 100 feet of well or from well or surface well or surface water water source. surface water source. water source. source. Silage storage Collection system in Collection system in No collection system. No collection system. leachate collection place and maintained. place but not Leachate goes into Leachate goes into maintained. grassed area. low area or waterway. Trench silage Concrete base. Clay layer base. Soil base. Covered Soil base. No cover storage Covered and surface Covered and surface but no surface water or surface water water diverted away from area. water diverted away from area. diversion away from area. diversion away from area. MILKING-CENTER WASTEWATER Milking-center Wastewater delivered Wastewater delivered Wastewater drains Wastewater drained wastewater directly to liquid to septic tank drain- outside to grassed outside into ditch that manure storage. field system. area. flows to surface water source. # OF AREAS RANKED (18 if ranked all) RANKINGS TOTAL Use this total to calculate risk ranking on next page. 6
' What do I do with these rankings? Step I: Begin by determining your overall animal production wastes risk ranking. Total the rankings for the categories you completed and divide by the number of categories you ranked: I Rankinas total number of risk ranking from pievious categories ranked (18 if ranked all) I* "Carry your answer out to one decimal divided by equals place. Example: 46 + 18 = 2.56 Use 2.6. Risk Ranking Description 3.6-4.0 = IOW risk 1.6-2.5 = moderate to high risk 2.6-3.5 = low to moderate risk 1.0-1.5 = high risk This ranking gives you an idea of how your animal production wastes, as a whole, might be affecting your drinking water. This ranking should serve only as a very general guide, not a precise diagnosis. Because it represents an averaging of many individual rankings, it can overlook any individual rankings (such as 1's or 2's) that should be of concern. (Step 2 will focus on individually ranked activities of concern.) Enter your boxed animal production wastes ranking in the appropriate place in the table on the front of Worksheet #ll. Later you will compare this risk ranking with other farmstead management rankings. Worksheet #10 will help you determine your farmstead's site conditions (soil type, soil depth, and bedrock characteristics), and Worksheet #11 will show you how these site conditions affect your risk rankings. Step 2: Look over your rankings for individual activities. 0 4's Best: low-risk practices 0 3's - Provide reasonable groundwater protection: low- to moderate-risk practices 0 2's Possibly inadequate protection: moderate- to high-risk practices 0 1's - Inadequate protection with relatively high groundwater contamination risk: high-risk practices Regardless of your overall risk ranking, any individual rankings of "1" require immediate attention. You can take care of some of the concerns right away; others could be major or costly projects, requiring planning and prioritizing before you take action. Find any activities that you identified as 1's and list them under "High-Risk Activities" on Worksheet #ll. Step 3: Read Fact Sheet #7, "Improved Management of Animal Production Wastes," and give some thought to how you might modify your farmstead practices to better protect your drinking water. 7
Florida Farm A Syst publications are revisions from the Wisconsin and Minnesota prototype versions, and Arkansas Farm A Syst materials, with support from the National Farmstead Assessment System Program. Revisors: William E. Kunkle, UFIIFAS, Animal Science Department, Roger Nordstedt, UF/IFAS, Agricultural Engineering Department, and Jack Van Horn, UFLIFAS, Dairy and Poultry Science Department. Technical reviewers: Bobby Mckown, Fla. Citrus Mutual, and Mike Olexa, UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department. Co-directors: Arthur G. Hornsby and Randall B. Brown; Coordinator: Susan W. Williams. Administered from the Soil and Water Science Deparlment, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. (904) 392-1951. Steering Committee: Pat Cockrell, Fla. Farm Bureau; Art Darling, Dairy Fanners; Frankie Hall, Pork Improvement Group; Chip Hinton, Fla. Strawberry Growers Assoc.; Mike Joyner, Fla. Forestry Assoc.; Andy LaVigne, Fla. Fertilizer and Agrichemical Assoc.; Bobbie Lollis, Fla. Cattlemen s Assoc.; Charlie Matthews, Fla. Fruit and Vegetable Assoc.; Bobby McKown, Fla. Citrus Mutual; Amanda McKoy, Fla. Peanut Producers Assoc.; Chuck Smith, Fla. Poultry Federation; and Earl Wells, Fla. Nurserymen and Growers Assoc. Word processing: Sheila Baldree and Tarek Habib. Graphics: Dave Cantlin. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency jointly support Florida Farm A Syst. Revised 2/95, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, John T. Woeste, Director, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30. 1914 Acts of Congress; and is authorized to provide research, educational information and other se~ice~ only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. Single copies of extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county extension offices. Information on bulk rates or copier for out-of-state purchasers is available from C.M. Hinton, Publications Distribution Center! IFAS Building 664, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611. Before publicizing this publication, editors should contact this address to determine availability. Printed February 1995.