960182_Waste Utilization Plan_20210518

System Calibration
Information presented in manufacturer's charts are based on average. operation
conditions with relatively new equipment. Discharge rates and application rates change
over time as equipment gets older and components wear. In particular, pump wear
tends to reduce operating pressure and flow. With continued use, nozzle wear results in
an increase in the nozzle opening which will increase the discharge rate while
decreasing the wetted diameter.
You should be aware that operating the system differently than assumed in the design
will alter the application rate, diameter of coverage, and subsequently the application
uniformity. For example, operating the system with excessive pressure results in smaller
droplets, greater potential for drift, and accelerates wear of the sprinkler nozzle.
Clogging of nozzles can result in pressure increase. Plugged intakes or crystallization of
mainlines will reduce operating pressure. Operating below design pressure greatly
reduces the coverage diameter and application uniformity:
For the above reason, you should calibrate your equipment on a regular basis to ensure
proper application rates and uniformity. Calibration at least once every three years is
recommended. Calibration involves collecting and measuring flow at several locations in
the application area. Any number of containers can be used to collect flow and
determine the application rate. Rain gauges work best because they already have a
graduated scale from which to read the application amount without having to perform
additional calculations. However, pans, plastic buckets, jars, or anything with a uniform
opening and cross-section can be used provided the liquid collected can be easily
transferred to a scaled container for measuring.
For stationary sprinklers, collection containers should be located randomly throughout
the application area at several distances from sprinklers. For traveling guns, sprinklers
should be located along a transect perpendicular to the direction of pull. Set out
collection containers 25 feet apart along the transect on both sides of the gun cart. You
should compute the average application rate for all nonuniformity of the application. On
a windless day, variation between containers of more than 30 percent is cause for
concern. You should contact your irrigation dealer or technical specialist for assistance.
*Reprinted for Certification Training for Operations of Animal Waste Management Systems Manual
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OPERATION & MAINTENANCE PLAN
Proper lagoon management should be a year-round priority. It is especially important to manage
levels so that you donot have problems during extended rainy and wet periods.
Maximum storage capacity should be available in the lagoon for periods when the receiving crop is
dormant (such as wintertime for bermudagrass) or when there are extended rainy spells such as a
thunderstorm season in the summertime. This means that at the first sign of plant growth in the
later winter / early spring, irrigation according to a farm waste management plan should be done
whenever the land In dry enough to receive lagoon liquid. This will make storage space available
In the lagoon for future wet periods. In the late summer / early fall the lagoon should be pumped
down to the low marker (see Figure 2-1) to allow for winter storage. Every effort should be made
to maintain the lagoon close to the minimum liquid level as long as the weather and waste
utilization plan will allow it.
Waiting until the lagoon has reached its maximum storage capacity before starting to irrigated does
not leave room for storing excess water during extended wet periods. Overflow from the lagoon for
any reason except a 25-year, 24-hour storm is a violation of state law and subject to penalty
action.
The routine maintenance of a lagoon: involves the following:
• Maintenance of a vegetative cover for the dam. Fescue or common bermudagrass
are the most common vegetative covers. The vegetation should be fertilized each
year, if needed, to maintain a vigorous stand. The amount of fertilized applied
should be based on a soils test, but in the event that it Is not practical to obtain a
soils test each year, the lagoon embankment and surrounding areas should be
fertilized with 800 pounds per acre of 10-10-10, or equivalent.
• Brush and trees on the embankment must be controlled. This may be done by
mowing, spraying, grazing, chopping, or a combination of these practices. This
should be done at least once a year and possibly twice in years that weather
conditions are favorable for heavy vegetative growth.
NOTE: If vegetation is controlled by spraying, the herbicide must not, be allowed to enter the
lagoon water. Such chemicals could harm the bacteria in the lagoon that are treating the waste.
Maintenance inspections of the entire lagoon should be made during the initial filling of the lagoon
and at least monthly and after major rainfall and storm events. Items to be checked should
include, as a minimum, the following:
Waste Inlet Pipes, Recycling Pipes, and Overflow Pipes -- look for:
1. separation of joints
2. cracks or breaks
3. accumulation of salts or minerals
4. overall condition of pipes
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Lagoon surface -- look for:
1. undesirable vegetative growth
2. floating or lodged debris
Embankment --look for:
1. settlement, cracking, or "jug" holes
2. side slope stability -- slumps or bulges
3. wet or damp areas on the back slope
4. erosion due to lack or vegetation or as a result of wave action
5. rodent damage
Larger lagoons may be subject to liner damage due to wave action caused by strong
winds. These waves can erode the lagoon sidewalls, thereby weakening the lagoon
dam. A good stand of vegetation will reduce the potential damage caused by wave
action. If wave action causes serious damage to a lagoon sidewail, baffles in the lagoon
may be used to reduce the wave Impacts.
Any of these features could lead to erosion and weakening of the darn. If your lagoon
has any of these features, you should call an appropriate expert familiar with design and
construction of waste lagoons. You may need to provide a temporary fix if there is a
threat of a waste discharge. However, a permanent solution should be reviewed by the
technical expert. Any digging into a lagoon dam with heavy equipment is a serious
undertaking with potentially serious consequences and should not be conducted unless
recommended by an appropriate technical expert.
Transfer Pumps — check for proper operation of:
1. recycling pumps
2, irrigation pumps
Check for teaks, loose fittings, and overall pump operation. An unusually loud or grinding
noise, or a large amount of vibration, may indicate that the pump Is in need of repair or
replacement.
NOTE: Pumping systems should be inspected and operated frequently enough so that
you are not completely "surprised" by equipment failure. You should perform your
pumping system maintenance at a time when your lagoon is at its low level. This will
allow some safety time should major repairs be required. Having a nearly full lagoon is
not the time to think about switching, repairing, or borrowing pumps. Probably, if your
lagoon is full, your neighbor's lagoon is full also. You should consider maintaining an
inventory of spare parts or pumps.
• Surface water diversion features are designed to carry all surface drainage
waters (such as rainfall runoff, roof drainage, gutter outlets, and parking lot
runoff) away from your lagoon and other waste treatment or storage
structures. The only water that should be coming from your lagoon is that
which comes from your flushing (washing) system pipes and the rainfall that
hits the lagoon directly. You should inspect your diversion system for the
following:
1. adequate vegetation
2. diversion capacity
3: ridge berm height
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Identified problems should be corrected promptly. It is advisable to inspect your system
during or immediately following a heavy rain. If technical assistance is needed to
determine proper solutions, consult with appropriate experts.
You should record the level of the lagoon Just prior to when rain is predicted, and then
record the level again 4 to 6 hours after the rain (assumes there is no pumping). This will
give you an idea of how much your lagoon level will rise with a certain rainfall amount
(you must also be recording your rainfall for this to work). Knowing this should help in
planning Irrigation applications and storage. If your lagoon rises excessively, you may
have an overflow problem from a surface water diversion or there may be seepage into
the lagoon from the surrounding land.
Lagoon Operation
Startup:
1. Immediately after construction establish a complete sod cover on bare soil
surfaces to avoid erosion.
2. Fill new lagoon design treatment volume at least half full of water before waste
loading begins, taking care not to erode lining or bank slopes.
3. Drainpipes into the lagoon should have a flexible pipe extender on the end of the
pipe to discharge near the bottom of the lagoon during Initial filling or another
means of slowing the incoming water toavoid erosion of the lining.
4. When possible, begin loading new lagoons in the spring to maximize bacterial
establishment (due to warmer weather).
5. It Is recommended that a new lagoon be seeded withsludge from a healthy
working swine lagoon in the amount of 0.25 percent of the full lagoon liquid
volume. This seeding should occur at least two weeks prior to the addition of
wastewater.
6. Maintain a periodic check on the lagoon liquid pH. If the pH falls below 7.0, add
agricultural lime at the rate of 1 pound per 1000 cubic feet of lagoon liquid volume
until the pH rises above 7.0. Optimum lagoon liquid pH is between 7.5 and 8.0.
7. A dark color, lack of bubbling, and excessive odor signals Inadequate biological
activity, Consultation with a technical specialist Is recommended if these
conditions occur for prolonged periods, especially during the warm season.
Loading:
The more frequently and regularly that wastewater is added to a lagoon, the better the
lagoon will function. Flush systems that wash waste into the lagoon several times daily
are optimum for treatment. Pit recharge systems, in which one or more buildings are
drained and recharged each day, also work well.
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• Practice water conservation -- minimize building water usage and spillage from
leaking waterers, broken pipes and washdown through proper maintenance and
water conservation.
• Minimize feed wastage and spillage by keeping feeders adjusted. This will reduce
the amount of solids entering the lagoon.
Management:
• Maintain lagoon liquid level between the permanent storage level and the full
temporary storage level.
• Place visible markers or stakes on the lagoon bank to show the minimum liquid level
and the maximum liquid level. (Figure 2-1).
• Start irrigating at the earliest possible date in the spring based on nutrient
requirements and soil moisture so that temporary storage will be maximized for the
summer thunderstorm season. Similarly, irrigate in the late summer / early fall to
provide maximum lagoon storage for the winter.
• The lagoon liquid level should never be closer than 1 foot to the lowest point of the
dam or embankment.
• Don not pump the lagoon liquid level lower than the permanent storage level unless
you are removing sludge.
• Locate float pump intakes approximately 18 inches underneath the liquid surface and
as far away from the drainpipe Inlets as possible.
• Prevent additions of bedding materials, long-stemmed forage or vegetation, molded
feed, plastic syringes, or other foreign materials Into the lagoon.
• Frequently remove solids from catch basins at end of confinement houses or
wherever they are installed.
• Maintain strict vegetation, rodent, and varmint control near lagoon edges.
• Do not allow trees or large bushes to grow on lagoon dam or embankment.
• Remove sludge from the lagoon either when the sludge storage capacity Is full or
before it fills 50 percent of the permanent storage volume,
• If animal production Is to be terminated, the owner is responsible for obtaining and
implementing a closure plan to eliminate the possibility of a pollutant discharge.
Sludge Removal:
Rate of lagoon sludge buildup can be reduced by:
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• proper lagoon sizing,
• mechanical solids separation of flushed waste,
• gravity settling of flushed waste solids in an appropriately designed basin, or
• minimizing feed wastage and spillage.
Lagoon sludge that is removed annually rather than stored long term will;
• have more nutrients,
• have more odor, and
• require more land to properly use the nutrlents.
Removal techniques:
• Hire a custom applicator.
• Mix the sludge and lagoon liquid with a chopper - agitator impeller pump through large
- bore sprinkler irrigation system onto nearby cropland; and soil incorporate.
• Dewater the upper part of lagoon by irrigation onto nearby cropland or forageland; mix
remaining sludge; pump into Ilquid sludge applicator; haul and spread onto cropland or
forageland; and soil incorporate.
• Dewater the upper part of lagoon by irrigation onto nearby cropland or forageland;
dredge sludge from lagoon with dragline or sludge barge; berm an area beside lagoon
to receive the sludge so that liquids can drain back into lagoon; allow sludge to
dewater; haul and spread with manure spreader onto cropland or forageland; and soil
incorporate.
Regardless of the method, you must have the sludge material analyzed for waste
constituents just as you would your lagoon water. The sludge will contain different
nutrient and metal values from the liquid. The application of the sludge to fields will be
limited by these nutrients as well as any previous waste applications to that field and
crop requirement. Waste application rates will be discussed in detail in Chapter 3.
When removing sludge, you must also pay attention to the liner to prevent damage.
Close attention by the pumper or drag -line operator will ensure that the lagoon liner
remains Intact. If you see soli material or the synthetic liner material being disturbed, you
should stop the activity Immediately and not resume until you are sure that the sludge
can be removed without liner injury. If the liner is damaged It must be repaired as soon
as possible.
Sludge removed from the lagoon has a much higher phosphorus and heavy metal
content than liquid. Because of this it should probably be applied to land with low
phosphorus and metal levels, as indicated by a soil test, and incorporated to reduce the
chance of erosion. Note that if the sludge is applied to fields with very high soil -test
phosphors, it should be applied only at rates equal to the crop removal of phosphorus.
As with other wastes, always have your lagoon sludge analyzed for its nutrient value.
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The application of sludge will Increase the amount of odor at the waste application site.
Extra precaution should be used to observe the wind direction and other conditions
which could increase the concern of neighbors.
Possible Causes of Lagoon Failure
Lagoon failures result in the unplanned discharge of wastewater from the structure.
Types of failures include leakage through the bottom or sides, overtopping, and breach
of the dam. Assuming proper design and construction, the owner has the responsibility
for ensuring structure safety. Items which may lead to lagoon failures include:
• Modification of the lagoon structure -- an example is the placement of a pipe in the
dam without proper design and construction. (Consult an expert in lagoon design
before placing any pipes in dams.)
• Lagoon liquid levels -- high levels are a safety risk.
• Failure to inspect and maintain the dam.
• Excess surface water flowing into the lagoon.
• Liner integrity -- protect from inlet pipe scouring, damage during sludge removal, or
rupture from lowering lagoon liquid level below groundwater table.
NOTE: If lagoon water is allowed to overtop the dam, the moving water will soon cause
gullies to form in the dam. Once this damage starts, it can quickly cause a large
discharge of wastewater and possible dam failure.
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