Effectiveness of Vegetative Filter Strips in Controlling Losses of Surface-applied Poultry Litter Constituents

Vegetative filter strips (VFS) have been shown to have high potential for reducing nonpoint source pollution from cultivated agricultural source areas, but information from uncultivated source areas amended with poultry litter is limited. Simulated rainfall was used in analyzing effects of VFS length (0, 3.1, 6.1, 9.2, 15.2, and 21.4 m) on quality of runoff from fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots (1.5 ¥ 24.4 m) amended with poultry litter (5 Mg/ha). The VFS reduced mass transport of ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ortho-phosphorus (PO4-P), total phosphorus (TP), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS). Mass transport of TKN, NH3-N, TP, and PO4-P were reduced by averages of 39, 47, 40, and 39%, respectively, by 3.1 m VFS and by 81, 98, 91, and 90%, respectively, by 21.4 m VFS. Effectiveness of VFS in terms of mass transport reduction was unchanged, however, beyond 3.1 m length for TSS and COD and averaged 35 and 51%, respectively. The VFS were ineffective in removing nitrate-nitrogen from the incoming runoff. Removal of litter constituents was described very well (r2 = 0.70 to 0.94) by a first-order relationship between constituent removal and VFS length.

[1]  M. R. Overcash,et al.  Effect of Grass Buffer Zone Length in Reducing the Pollution from Land Application Areas , 1980 .

[2]  R. I. Barnhisel,et al.  Filtration of Sediment by Simulated Vegetation II. Unsteady Flow with Non-Homogeneous Sediment , 1979 .

[3]  C. T. Haan,et al.  Sediment deposition patterns in simulated grass filters , 1977 .

[4]  Dwayne R. Edwards,et al.  Solids Transport and Erodibility of Poultry Litter Surface-applied to Fescue , 1994 .

[5]  Theo A. Dillaha,et al.  Modeling Phosphorus Transport in Grass Buffer Strips , 1989 .

[6]  E. Arnold,et al.  Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. 16th ed. , 1985 .

[7]  H. E. Schefferle,et al.  The decomposition of uric acid in built up poultry litter. , 1965, The Journal of applied bacteriology.

[8]  John C. Hayes,et al.  Filtration of Sediment by Simulated Vegetation I. Steady-State Flow with Homogeneous Sediment , 1979 .

[9]  R. C. Doyle,et al.  Effectiveness of forest buffer strips in improving the water quality of manure polluted runoff , 1975 .

[10]  D. R. Edwards,et al.  Quality of Runoff from Fescuegrass Plots Treated with Poultry Litter and Inorganic Fertilizer , 1994 .

[11]  Thomas Schanze,et al.  Runoff Water Quality from Wastewater Irrigation , 1985 .

[12]  Steven K. Mickelson,et al.  Buffer strips for controlling herbicide losses , 1994 .

[13]  Saied Mostaghimi,et al.  Vegetative Filter Strips for Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control , 1989 .

[14]  A. E. Greenberg,et al.  Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater seventh edition , 2013 .

[15]  J. Clausen,et al.  Vegetative Filter Treatment of Dairy Barnyard Runoff in Cold Regions , 1992 .

[16]  Robert A. Young,et al.  Effectiveness of Vegetated Buffer Strips in Controlling Pollution from Feedlot Runoff , 1980 .

[17]  R. O. Hegg,et al.  Pasture Runoff water quality from application of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources , 1984 .

[18]  C. T. Haan,et al.  Suspended Sediment Filtration Capacity of Simulated Vegetation , 1976 .

[19]  J. Clausen,et al.  Vegetative Filter Treatment of Dairy Milkhouse Wastewater , 1989 .

[20]  Russell B. Brinsfield,et al.  Nutrient and Sediment Removal by Vegetated Filter Stips , 1989 .

[21]  Theo A. Dillaha,et al.  Long-Term Effectiveness and Maintenance of Vegetative Filter Strips , 1986 .

[22]  Billy J. Barfield,et al.  Prediction of Flow Hydraulics for Vegetated Channels , 1978 .

[23]  D. R. Edwards,et al.  Effects of Poultry Litter Application Rate and Rainfall Intensity on Quality of Runoff from Fescuegrass Plots , 1993 .

[24]  J. H. Jones,et al.  Dairy Liquid Waste Distribution in an Overland Flow Vegetative-Soil Filter System , 1980 .

[25]  Michael R. Overcash,et al.  Dairy Open Lot and Lagoon-Irrigated Pasture Runoff Quantity and Quality , 1980 .

[26]  Saied Mostaghimi,et al.  Evaluation of vegetative filter strips as a best management practice for feed lots , 1988 .

[27]  L. B. Owens,et al.  Managing Runoff from a Small, Paved Beef Feedlot , 1983 .

[28]  Dale H. Vanderholm,et al.  Vegetative Filter Treatment of Livestock Feedlot Runoff , 1981 .