Lagooning Properties of Flushed Dairy and Swine Wastes in Multi-Cell Systems Employing Recycle

ABSTRACT A three year study involving the lagooning characteristics of swine and settled dairy waste has identified a number of striking differences between the two wastes. Characteristics were studied using laboratory scale two-cell lagoon systems at four organic loading rates which include the proposed ASAE loading rate for Alabama. Recycle from the second cell was performed for each waste system to simulate conditions of a field scale unit. The lagooning characteristcs reported in-clude: (a) salt concentration trends, (b) nitrogen losses and mineralization, (c) the fate of carbon as determined by COD, (d) pathogen survival differences, (e) total and volatile solids reduction, and (f) sludge accumulation rates for both wastes. The operating parameters of a given lagoon system for a specific loading rate were those conditions most likely to be encountered in field scale units. The differences between the two wastes could thus be attributed to the properties of the wastes or the opera-tional characteristics of the lagoon systems treating the wastes.