# Presentation: 424700

## Water Quality Program Focus on CAFOs

- Pathogens:
- Characterize releases from manure spread on fields and from storage facilities
- Determine performance of mitigation options - BMPs
- Nutrient releases to the subsurface
- Ammonia-based air emissions, and nitrogen air deposition (*ORD Air Research Program*)

## Pathogen (releases from manure management)

**Accomplishments**
- Support for the development of the CAFO Rule (2001/2002)
- Support for CAFO Rule implementation through Regional workgroups initiated by Region 3 (2004/2005)
- Risk Management Evaluation for CAFOs (2004)
- A Strategy to Evaluate BMP Performance via Molecular Biology Methods in Watersheds Impaired by Fecal Contamination (2004)
- Detecting and Mitigating the Environmental Impact of Fecal Pathogens Originating from Confined Animal Feeding Operations: Review (2006).
**Future Reports**
- Reports on release of pathogens through tile drainage and riparian buffers
- Report on management of pathogens from a cattle feedlot by infiltration basins and constructed wetland.
- Improved key variables for use in estimating ambient BOD removal during winter runoff.
- Multi-site reports on fate of pathogens from tile drainage and surface flow under varying manure waste management & applications.

## Nutrients (releases to the subsurface)

**Accomplishments**** **
- Support Region 6 through site investigation for enforcement actions against swine CAFO (2001)
- Support Region 6 and Oklahoma in monitoring PRB performance for ground water remediation after CAFO nutrient contamination (2005/2007)
- Scientific reports to enhance modeling efforts for transport of contaminants in root zone (2007)
- Provide data to USDA to implement changes in recommended land application practices (2007)
**Future Reports**
- Report on ground water impacts from nutrients and other stressors following land application of swine CAFO wastes
- Multi-site reports on whether current NMP guidelines are sufficiently protective of ground water from land application of CAFO wastes
- Journal articles better characterizing transport processes for contaminants in root zone
- Review article on factors impacting efficacy of land application for use of CAFO lagoon waters for nutrient value

## N Air Emissions (NH3)

**NH****3**** ****Emissions Characterization**
- Fugitive Sources and Open Path Measurements (1995)
- Hog and Chicken Farming (1996-1997)
- Vertical Radial Plume Method (2000)
- OAQPS Method Designation: OTM 10 (2006)
- Monitoring Study in EPA Consent Agreement with AFOs Industry (2007)

**Notes:**
The purpose of discussing this topic area is to just give a brief overview of the work, but not to get into any detailed discussion today. Names of ORD contacts are provided and future discussions can be arranged, if desired.

## Summary & Initial Conclusions

- Pathogen releases from manured fields can be significant.
- Effectiveness of management control strategies varies with season and precipitation levels.
- Land application of CAFO waste often contaminates ground water, and ultimately surface water, with nutrients.  More effective NMPs are often likely to be needed for GW protection
- The majority (> 85%) of NH3 emitted from CAFOs is transported from the farm as fugitive emissions and is therefore, available for deposition to ecosystems downwind and PM formation.
- Ammonia dry deposition dominates the atmospheric N deposition budget in coastal watersheds of eastern NC where animal production intensity is high.

**Notes:**
We are finding ground water impacts form at least nutrients, and that CAFOs are not being operated properly.  We need to assess whether NMPs are truly protective, and also ascertain the fates of micropollutants like EDCs, antibiotics, viruses, etc.  We need to do this because ground water is an important conduit to surface water

## Contacts

- Water Quality Program
- Charles Noss, ORD
- Pathogens in Manure
- Ben Blaney, NRMRL, ORD
- AFOs NH3 Emissions Characterization Program
- Richard Shores, NRMRL, ORD
- Emission and Fate of N in Agricultural Regions
- John T. Walker, NRMRL, ORD