That's a lot of water. The only time we will know for sure will be next spring after the storms have come and gone. Therefore, it is critical to take precautions to reduce potential problems by preparing for a wet winter. Now is the perfect time for you to start on those projects that you think about during the weather report on the evening news. There are still a few weeks for you to prepare for the winter, but not many.
Extra water means extra mud and extra manure water.
Manure management will be a key concern. Close your eyes and picture what your facility looks like in the winter. Dr. Deanne Meyer, Extension Livestock Waste Management Specialist at UC Davis, advises producers to review their manure storage capacity. To answer this last question you need to know two different areas. Meyer recommends looking at the ratio of facility surface area to pond surface area to estimate the amount of capacity you will need.