The potential impact of flooding on confined animal feeding operations in eastern North Carolina.

Abstract

Thousands of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been constructed in eastern North Carolina. The fecal waste pit and spray field waste management systems used by these operations are susceptible to flooding in this low-lying region. To investigate the potential that flood events can lead to environmental dispersion of animal wastes containing numerous biologic and chemical hazards, we compared the geographic coordinates of 2,287 CAFOs permitted by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) with estimates of flooding derived from digital satellite images of eastern North Carolina taken approximately 1 week after Hurricane Floyd dropped as much as 15-20 inches of rain in September 1999. Three cattle, one poultry, and 237 swine operations had geographic coordinates within the satellite-based flooded area. DWQ confirmed 46 operations with breached or flooded fecal waste pits in the same area. Only 20 of these 46 CAFOs were within the satellite-based estimate of the inundated area. CAFOs within the satellite-based flood area were located in 132 census block groups with a population of 171,498 persons in the 2000 census. African Americans were more likely than whites to live in areas with flooded CAFOs according to satellite estimates, but not according to DWQ reports. These areas have high poverty rates and dependence on wells for drinking water. Our analysis suggests that flood events have a significant potential to degrade environmental health because of dispersion of wastes from industrial animal operations in areas with vulnerable populations.

Evaluation of Swine-Specific PCR Assays Used for Fecal Source Tracking and Analysis of Molecular Diversity of Swine-Specific “ Bacteroidales ” Populations

“…This imbalance is evidenced by the 20% increase (from 1982 to 1997) in nitrogen and phosphorus produced in swine operations, thus potentially contributing to the detrimental eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems (18). Swine manure spills and leaks are commonplace in the top hog production states, such as Iowa and North Carolina, due to failure or overflow of manure storage, uncontrolled runoff from open feedlots, improper manure application on cropland, deliberate pumping of manure onto the ground, and intentional breaches in storage lagoons (28,37).Recently, swine-associated PCR-based methods targeting members of the "Bacteroidales" order (i.e., Prevotella species) and methanogen populations (12,29,35) have been proposed to discriminate swine fecal pollution events from other potential fecal contributions (i.e., human, bovine, and wildlife) to environmental waters. Nevertheless, the value of these assays in reliably detecting fecal pollution sources in watershed-based studies has not been thoroughly investigated.…”

Feedlot operation problems from floods in southern Alberta: a Canadian case study

“…Besides the effects of inundation and damage to fecal waste pits, LNID feedlots experienced significant problems in the management of floodwater runoff, breaching of lagoons and pens, animal health and animal feed. For example, 67% of the respondents reported losing animals from flooded pens [23] (Table 1). To make the situation worse, several encountered challenges in hiring extra workers and renting equipment during the flood cleanup.…”

“…While all respondents were aware of the negative impacts of contaminated lagoon water on crop agriculture, most acknowledged spraying this contaminated lagoon water onto cropland as a solution to protect their animals and their businesses. This type of feedlot waste management practice raises new concerns about flood-related dispersion of livestock wastes because of its deleterious effects on soil and runoff water as well as on public health [13,18,23,24]. It also suggests that service providers should consider evaluating the floodwater dispersion system of the region.…”

“…It is clear from the data that during the floods, pumping contaminated water from lagoons and pens was the most common measure used, followed by cleaning and rebuilding pens and treating sick animals. Though all respondents were knowledgeable about the public health hazards of spraying concentrated fecal wastes from intensive livestock operation pits onto crop fields [7,8,23,24], many (70%) admitted disposing contaminated water from their feedlot facilities through sprinkler/pivot systems onto the fields and 64% removed animals from flooded pens. Only 3% used professional cleaners to dispose of contaminated floodwater from their farm operations.…”

A combined watershed–water quality modeling analysis of the Lake Waco reservoir: II. Watershed and reservoir management options and outcomes

“…For example, nonpoint pollution and water quality decline are associated (Carpenter et al 1998); however, the mechanisms for their relationships are based on ecological processes that may have varying levels of predictability at various spatial and temporal scales (Hunsaker and Levine 1995). Models can be used to approximate and test hypotheses regarding mechanisms related to watershed-water quality relationships, especially if the models are based on first principles (Wing et al 2002). Deterministic models of linked watersheds and reservoirs are best suited to provide an experimental design framework for testing "what-if" questions in these large, complex ecosystems (Arnold et al 1987, Soyupak et al 1997, Gunduz et al 1998, Staudenrausch and Flügel 2001, Arnold and Fohrer 2005.…”