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Research Summaries
Manure Treatment
Vegetative Treatment Systems
Purpose
The project objective is to determine if a combination of intensive management and low cost vegetative treatment channels can effectively and efficiently improve runoff water quality of animal agricultural facilities. Runoff from the silage area and exercise lot will specifically be targeted.
Current Activity
Three vegetative treatment strips have been constructed elements at the MSU’s South Campus Dairy Research Center SCDRC) using the Michigan NRCS Wastewater Treatment Strip (Acre) 635 Standard. A sampling and analytical plan and management protocol are currently in development. Monitoring will continue through the next 1.5 years.
What We Have Learned
Many crucial engineering design and construction of a vegetative treatment strip have been learned from the construction of the strips at the MSU SCDRC. These lessons will be incorporated into future design details.
Why is This Important
Runoff of storm water from animal agricultural facilities can be contaminated with silage, manure, bedding, and other materials that can impact water quality. The impacted water can cause surface and groundwater impairments due to high carbon, nutrients, and pathogen levels.
For More Information
Steve Safferman
Michigan State University
Biosystems Engineering
202 Farrall Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
This report was prepared for the 2008 annual meeting of the regional research committee, S-1032 "Animal Manure and Waste Utilization, Treatment and Nuisance Avoidance for a Sustainable Agriculture". This report is not peer-reviewed and the author has sole responsibility for the content.
