Soil and Water Conservation BMPS for Animal Waste Management Systems Impacted by Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, Irene and Other Chronic Rain Events
The
following practices and standards apply to animal operations in Bertie,
Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Columbus,
Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax,
Harnett, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover,
Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Robeson,
Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne and Wilson Counties that may not
be able to comply with their existing permit and Certified Animal Waste
Management Plan (CAWMP) through the winter season. Facilities that can currently comply with their existing permit
and CAWMP must do so. These practices and standards for managing lagoon and
holding pond liquid levels and land application are available through March 31,
2000. Practices listed below should be
used based upon an evaluation and approval by a technical specialist. The practices may be implemented before
approval by a technical specialist, but the facility owner/manager must apply
to a technical specialist by December 1, 1999 to incorporate these practices
and standards into an amended CAWMP for previously implemented practices. The standards apply to practices as
appropriate.
Additional Time-Limited Practices And Standards for Responding to Fall 1999 Hurricane-Related Rainfall Events
1. Where additional land is available, new sprayfields,
including woodland, should be added.
The PAN application rate is 100 lbs. per acre for hardwoods and 60 lbs.
per acre for pines.
2. The 1999 application window for summer perennials, such as
bermuda grass, is extended to the first killing frost and an additional 50 lbs.
per acre of PAN may be applied.
3. A PAN application rate of 200 lbs. per acre is allowable for
small grains and winter grasses to be harvested. If an additional 50 lbs. Per acre was applied to a summer
perennial, then the small grain/winter grass rate for the field is reduced to
150 lbs. per acre.
4.
Until
December 1, 1999, the facility owner/manager is authorized to calculate levels
of total nitrogen (as measured by the TKN method) in the facility’s lagoons to
be 35% lower than the levels measured by the facility owner/manager during the
last such test performed before the first 25-year/24-hour storm that impacted
the facility during 1999, unless the owner/operator of the facility has
performed testing at the facility that demonstrates a lower level of total
nitrogen (as measured by the TKN method) and has retained those test results at
the facility for inspection. This adjustment is intended to reflect the impact
of heavy rains associated with the 1999 hurricanes. After December 1, 1999, nitrogen calculations must be based on
current waste analysis.
5.
The
authorization to use the above-listed practices in flood-impacted counties
expires on December 31, 1999 unless the practices have been incorporated into
an amended CAWMP by approval of a technical specialist pursuant to the attached
form. The additional PAN loading
authorized for summer perennials and winter grasses may not be used after March
31, 2000 even if incorporated into an amended CAWMP.
6. Authorization to use the additional practices described in
paragraphs 1-4 above expires if a facility discharges to surface waters.
1. Maximum
nitrogen utilization by small grains and winter grasses must
be achieved by:
a. Use of higher seeding rates;
b. Timely harvest of forage to increase yield; and
c. Irrigating during periods of warmer weather for maximum plant
uptake.
2. Irrigation must be intensively managed to avoid runoff and
reduce ponding potential by:
a. Making frequent, light irrigation applications; and
b. Not irrigating before predicted rainfall.
3. The owner/manager will manage the movement of animals to or
from the facility (including, but not
limited to temporarily delaying the delivery of animals or relocating animals
to another facility) in order to minimize environmental impacts; insure
compliance with the facility’s permit, amended CAWMP and these practices; and
to avoid discharges to surface waters.
Under State rules and permit conditions, records
must be kept for all waste applications.
The plan amendment incorporating these practices must be filed at the
SWCC office and available for inspection at the facility. All other aspects of waste management plans,
including no discharge to surface waters, must be met. New sprayfields must
meet applicable buffer and setback requirements (according to S B 1217
Interagency Sixth Guidance Document Revision 4 Attachment) and waste cannot be
applied to wetlands.
This statement of practices and standards supersedes
all prior guidance or similar policy statements and is intended to be the
guidance by which owner/operators of affected facilities may respond to
conditions created by the extraordinary rain events of 1999, which included
storms in excess of the 25-year, 24-hour storm.
November 5, 1999