Willmar, Minn. – As a winter of
heavy snowfall and freezing rain gives way to warming temperatures, rapid
melting and potential for flooding pose challenges for manure management among
the more than 25,000 livestock farms in Minnesota. Farmers who spread solid
manure during winter must ensure that it doesn’t run off with rapid snowmelt
flowing to ditches, streams and other waters.
Manure-contaminated runoff not only
threatens water quality, it reduces the value of manure as a crop nutrient. If possible, farmers should
refrain from spreading manure during periods of rapid melt. This may be even
more important in some areas this year because of frozen snow conditions. In
January and February the snow was saturated by rain, and then froze. This
prevents surface-applied manure from soaking in to the soil, and more susceptible
to runoff.
Minnesota rules require a 300-foot
setback from surface waters and open tile intakes for all manure spread onto
frozen or snow-covered soil. However, this spring the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency encourages farmers to refrain from surface application until the
snow and ice layers are melted. “We have already had several cases where manure
was applied in accordance with the rule, but has negatively impacted surface
and ground water a significant distance away,” says Wayne Cords, MPCA feedlot
program supervisor.
If manure land application can’t wait, to reduce the impact of manure
applied to the surface of wet, frozen or snow covered soil, choose the flattest
field or flattest parts of fields and follow these guidelines:
·
Field slope should be less than 6 percent slope
for solid manure, 2 percent for liquid manure,
·
Do not
apply non-incorporated manure within 300 feet of surface waters. If possible
apply manure at even greater setback distances.
·
Do not apply in areas of the fields that contain
other areas of concentrated flow. A 300-foot setback is required for
intermittent streams; however, most fields also contain other areas such as grass
waterways that receive concentrated flow.
Keep back far as possible from these other areas of concentrated flow.
·
Choose fields that contain the most crop
residue; greater than 30 percent is recommended.
·
Avoid applying to fields where the furrows are
full of ice and snow.
·
Keep application rates low enough to avoid
runoff or ponding during application.
·
Choose fields that do not have adjacent
non-tillable land containing areas of concentrated flow such as ravines,
ditches with open side inlets, streams or dry runs. If this not possible, stay
away far as possible from these off-field areas of concentrated flow.
Livestock farms that experience manure runoff
into waters of the state must report to the Minnesota Duty Officer by calling
800-422-0798, and take immediate action to reduce environmental impact, such as
creating temporary berms to stop discharge, temporarily plugging culverts and
drain tile intakes to prevent manure inflow, and soaking up liquid with
absorbent material, such as hay, straw, cornstalks or wood shavings.
For more information, see the MPCA fact sheet,
“Managing manure and land application during adverse weather conditions” at www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/wq-f8-46.pdf,
contact your county or MPCA feedlot staff, (See www.pca.state.mn.us/zihy6a1), or
call the MPCA at 800-657-3864.
Broadcast version
Rapid snow melt and potential for
flooding pose challenges for manure management among the more than 25,000 livestock
farms in Minnesota. Farmers who spread solid manure during winter must
ensure that it doesn’t run off with rapid snowmelt flowing to ditches, streams
and other waters. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, manure-contaminated runoff threatens water quality and also
reduces the value of manure as a crop nutrient. If possible, the M-P-C-A says, farmers should refrain from
spreading manure during periods of rapid melt. Minnesota rules require a
300-foot setback from surface waters and open tile intakes for all manure
spread onto frozen or snow-covered soil.
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The mission of the MPCA is to work with Minnesotans to protect, conserve and improve our environment and enhance our quality of life.
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