'A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS - IEE RAS'
Abstract
Proceedings of the 1999 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 30 and 31, Athens, Georgia.Results of a 15-county survey revealed that intensive animal agriculture may impact shallow groundwater resources. Objectives of this study are to assess water quality on poultry farms and determine if there is a relationship between waste disposal practices and groundwater quality. Twenty poultry farms representing concentrated areas of commercial poultry production and four major soil provinces were evaluated using site assessments, questionnaires, electromagnetic (EM) survey readings, and chemical and microbiological analysis of domestic well water. Based upon the EM survey results, five farms were instrumented with lysimeters and test wells to determine possible nutrient and microbiological movement to groundwater. Site evaluations revealed that 10 of the 47 (21 %) domestic wells did not have appropriate well head protection to prevent surface water contamination. Five of the 47 (11 %) wells were located downslope and/or within 100 ft. of a nitrogen source other than pits and averaged nitrate-N (N03-N) levels above background (3 ppm). Thirty-eight percent had elevated coliform levels and 10.6% contained Salmonella in at least one sample during the sampling period. EM surveys and monitoring data indicated that nutrients migrate less than 100 ft. laterally down gradient from the pits. Poultry mortality pits on the 20 farms did not appear to elevate nitrate levels above background. Groundwater nitrate-N levels were higher on farms containing uncovered litter stacks. Preliminary results indicate that uncovered litter stacks may have a greater impact on groundwater quality than poultry mortality pits. Additional testing on various soil types is needed.Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of TechnologyThis book was published by the Institute of Ecology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-2202 with partial funding provided by the U.S. Department of Interior, geological Survey, through the Georgia Water Research Insttitute as authorized by the Water Research Institutes Authorization Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-397). The views and statements advanced in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not represent official views or policies of the University of Georgia or the U.S. Geological Survey or the conference sponsors
