Florida Administrative Code › 62 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 62 - Departmental › Chapter 62-670 - FEEDLOT AND DAIRY WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS › Section 62-670.500 - Requirements for Dairy Farms in the Lake Okeechobee Drainage Basin

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) The discharge of untreated wastewater and
				runoff from dairy farms may reasonably be expected to be a source of pollution
				to waters of the state. The purpose of Rule
				 62-670.500, F.A.C., is to
				control pollution of waters of the state due to the discharge of wastewater and
				runoff from dairy farms in the Lake Okeechobee Drainage Basin to surface and
				ground water.
(2) Rule
				 62-670.500, F.A.C., shall be
				applicable to all dairy farms in the Lake Okeechobee Drainage Basin as defined
				in subsection  62-670.200(8),
				F.A.C. Regulation of dairy farms in other drainage basins under this rule will
				be proposed upon a determination by the Department that such additional
				regulations are required to insure that water quality standards are met or
				maintained.
(3) Discharge of dairy
				farm wastewater and runoff to waters of the state shall not cause or contribute
				to a violation of water quality standards.
(4) The system of practices, specified in
				subsections  62-670.500(5) through
				(8), F.A.C., for collection and recycling of
				wastewater by proper land disposal, together with the associated management
				practices, is established for the purpose of determining compliance with water
				quality standards. Implementation of these practices will be presumed to
				provide reasonable assurance that the facility will meet water quality
				standards in waters of the state.
(5) Fencing.
(a) All dairy cattle, including dry cows and
				heifers, shall be fenced away from all watercourses, or drainage ditches with a
				drainage area of 100 acres or more, that will transport storm runoff to surface
				waters. All new and replacement fences shall be located no closer than 25 feet
				from the top of the side slopes of the drainage or from the stream bank of
				natural watercourses. The area between the fence and the watercourses or
				drainage ditches may be used for forage crop production and shall be so managed
				as to attenuate the loads of nutrients carried to surface waters. Additional
				fencing may be required by the management plan on the basis of site-specific
				factors.
(b) Milk Herd
				Concentration. The high intensity use area shall be so managed as to encourage
				congregation of the milk herd in the area. Permanent structures, and watering
				and feeding facilities shall be located in contiguous high-intensity use areas,
				whenever practicable, to promote maximum waste/runoff collection.
(c) Barn Waste and High Intensity Runoff. All
				wastes and flushings from milking barns and runoff from high intensity use
				areas shall be centrally collected for storage and disposal by land
				application, or treated prior to discharge. The size of the high intensity use
				area is expected to vary on a site-specific basis. It is the intent of this
				rule that this area shall be minimized through adoption of appropriate site
				designs and management practices developed in the management plan. It is
				contemplated that in many cases existing high intensity areas will be reduced
				in size, thus minimizing the amount of runoff to be collected.
1. The design of lagoons, storage ponds and
				other impoundments for barn wastes and runoff from "high intensity use" areas
				shall be based on total containment of effluents for the longest anticipated
				period between emptyings. The volume should be large enough to store inputs
				from accumulated manure and wash water, direct rainfall on the pond, and the
				runoff contributed to the facility for the period minus losses expected due to
				evaporation. The design will provide for storage of runoff from the 25-year,
				24-hour storm event. Runoff shall be determined in accordance with the USDA
				Soil Conservation Service procedures. The design and construction of the waste
				management facilities should conform to the criteria contained in the local SCS
				Field Office Technical Guide.
2.
				The storage facilities shall be cleaned periodically to remove accumulated
				sludge, debris or other solids so that their effective capacity (design volume)
				to provide adequate storage of wastes and runoff before land application will
				not be reduced. The bottom of the storage facilities shall be sealed, when
				necessary, to prevent leakage of the contents to the surrounding ground
				water.
(d) Land
				Application. Land application of all wastes (solids, sludge, runoff and
				wastewater) shall be managed to maximize water quality benefits derived from
				plant uptake of nutrients.
1. The nutrient
				content of all wastes shall be determined at least quarterly before spreading
				and the wastewater and runoff shall be applied to meet nutrient requirements of
				the crops. If the nutrient analyses show consistent results, the frequency of
				the analysis may be reduced. The degree of consistency required and the
				specific changes in the frequency of analysis shall be specified in the
				permit.
2. All sources of nutrients
				applied shall not exceed the annual nutrient requirements of the grasses or
				crops in the area.
3. The water
				table shall be eighteen (18) inches or deeper below the normal ground surface
				when wastes are applied to the land.
4. Irrigation with wastewater and runoff
				shall be managed so that no irrigation water is discharged to the surface
				waters of the state.
5. The
				frequency and rate of land application shall be managed to avoid secondary
				environmental problems such as severe odors, insect and pest problems, and
				other nuisance conditions. If wastes are to be disposed of on property not
				owned by the permittee, evidence of an appropriate lease or contract shall be
				provided for inclusion in the management plan.
(e) Alternative to Land Application. As an
				alternative to land application, the Department may consider other methods of
				treatment and disposal of barn wastewater and runoff from high intensity areas.
				Limits for such treatment or disposal methods will be based on applicable
				Department rules.