Water Quality Issues

At our 2013 Annual Meeting of Electors, this issue was raised repeatedly that RKLD should involve ourselves in improving water quality of Lake Koshkonong.  While the entire Board agreed with those concerns, the article below is a good example of what our Board, Lake, River and property owners are up against.
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Manure spills in 2013 the highest in seven years statewide
By Lee Bergquist and Kevin Crowe of the Journal Sentinel

Dec. 5, 2013

Wisconsin farms this year generated the largest volume of manure spills since 2007, including an accident by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's flagship research farm in Columbia County that produced a mile-long trail of animal waste. Livestock operations have spilled more than 1 million gallons of manure in 2013, according to the state Department of Natural Resources' records. Records don't show a clear trend in the frequency or size of the spills, but officials say there is a growing practice by farmers and their neighbors of reporting mishaps. Officials also say that regardless of the precautions taken, accidents are not uncommon. Manure contains an array of contaminants, including E. coli, phosphorus and nitrogen, that can harm public waterways and drinking water. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis shows that after this year, the second largest volume in spills took place in 2008 when 905,505 gallons were released. The Journal Sentinel asked for records from 2007-'13. Last year, spills

totaled 191,132 gallons. Kevin Erb, a manure specialist with the University of Wisconsin Extension, said that the volume is minute, compared to the amount of manure cows produce. The spill total for 2013 is less than 1% of all the waste produced by dairy cattle in Wisconsin, he said. Still, manure handling is a volatile issue in Wisconsin as dairy farms grow larger. Attorney Drew Nicholas of Midwest Environmental Advocates said animal waste is the chief concern of residents his firm represents. Thecases focus on opposing new farms or expansions at the state's largest dairies, known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. CAFOs are farms with the equivalent of 700 or more milking or dry cows. "It's the same issue: The fear manure will get into waterways," Nicholas said.

According to the Journal Sentinel analysis, about one-third of the spills since 2007 came from CAFOs. There are currently 196 dairy CAFOs in Wisconsin. In the latest spill, 300,000 gallons of manure escaped from a ruptured pipe on Nov. 24 from a facility in Dane County that takes waste from farms to generate electricity.

The $13 million Dane County digester, which received a $3.3 million state grant, generates enough electricity to power 2,500 homes. It began operating in 2011. The ruptured pipe was not discovered until Nov. 25. The break sent liquid manure into nearby Six Mile Creek.

The DNR is still assessing the extent of the damage. DNR spokesman Bob Manwell said the spill doesn't appear to have killed fish in the creek, but because portions of the creek are covered with ice, the agency is still monitoring the situation. Another big spill was an accident in February at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station that also released 300,000 gallons of manure after a pipe broke. The 2,000-acre farm is UW's showplace for agriculture research. The manure handling system was constructed about five years ago to accommodate about 500 cows. "It was a mechanical failure," said Richard J. Straub, senior associate dean of the UW College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in explaining the break in a pipe that recirculated the cleanest water from a manure lagoon to wash manure off the barn's floor. DNR records show that Arlington has reported five spills since 2007. That includes three spills in 2009 for a

combined 50,000 gallons. "What can I say, 'manure happens,'" said Straub, who holds a doctorate in agricultural engineering. "We take these things seriously, but there is no system that is absolutely safe." The farm has instituted several changes, including new berms to contain waste if another accident occurs and an automatic shut-off of equipment that pumps manure if a change in pressure is detected, Straub said. DNR officials said they haven't analyzed the data on spills, and haven't examined the data to learn whether there were cases where farms or manure haulers are repeat violators. Some farmers and haulers have been required to pay fines for contaminating public waterways or groundwater, the DNR said, but the figure was not available on Thursday. "Spills are going to happen, and what we are telling people is to report them and mitigate the problem — these are the things that we are focusing on," said Tom Bauman, coordinator of agricultural runoff for the DNR. Officials said a string of manure spills in 2004 prompted the state to become more proactive. The agency has personnel in all regions of the state who work on spills. On nights and weekends, a DNR employee is on call in the event an accident is reported. The DNR also has a system that warns farmers when weather conditions, such as heavy rains and fast snow melt, would be poor for spreading waste.

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/manure-spills-in-2013-the-highest-in-seven- years-statewide-b99157574z1-234701931.html#ixzz2mi6O5sDe
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