PRESENTER
NOTES
Discussion
Question:
1.What are the five pathways by which manure contaminants
can reach water?
Key
Discussion Topics
1.Runoff. Runoff from open
lots, land application sites, and manure and feed storage represents a common pathway for contaminant
transport. All contaminants in manure will travel with surface water
runoff and soil erosion. Problems associated with phosphorus, pathogens, ammonia,
and organic matter are most commonly
associated with runoff or erosion.
2. Leaching. Dissolved contaminants such as nitrate
nitrogen will leach through the soil when
the soil moisture exceeds its water holding capacity. Most contaminants in manure and other byproducts (e.g., organic matter,
pathogens, and typically phosphorus) are
filtered by soil and will NOT leach to groundwater. Soil structure, chemical reactions with soil minerals, and negatively
charged soil particles typically restricts
the movement of many contaminants.
However, soluble contaminants such
as nitrate-nitrogen, may move beyond a crop’s root zone and contaminate ground water.
3. Movement down a well casing: Wells located in close proximity to a manure
storage or outdoor lot can be at risk to
nutrient and pathogen contamination.
4. Ammonia Volatilization and Deposition. Ammonia-nitrogen
volatizes from manure storages, lagoons,
and open lots. Once volatilized, most
ammonia is re-deposited with rainfall or
through dry deposition. It can be
transported over long distances. Many areas of the world profit from this nutrient
deposition. However, some areas of the world are experiencing high enough deposition
that threatens vitality and growth in local
ecosystems. In the United States,
coastal areas are often adversely affected
by ammonia deposition. Nitrogen
availability rather than phosphorus
typically limit eutrophication in coastal waters.
5. Macropore Flow. Most contaminants in manure can
travel through soil to shallow groundwater
tables or tile drains. Macropore pathways (root holes, wormholes, cracks due to soil drying) can provide pathways for
contaminant movement that bypasses the
filtering capability of soils.
Discussion
Question:
References
LPES
Lesson 1: pages 16-17