Movement of lagoon-liquor constituents below four animal-waste lagoons

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 1234 - 1242
• Main Authors: DeSutter, T.M, Pierzynski, G.M, Ham, J.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.07.2005; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Ammonium; Animals; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Bos; Cation exchange; Cattle; cattle manure; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Groundwater; Manures; Nitrogen - analysis; nitrogen content; pig manure; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Quality Control; Refuse Disposal; seepage; soil chemical properties; Soil testing; Soils; Sus; Swine; Waste lagoons; waste liquors; Water depth; Water Movements; Water Pollutants - analysis; water pollution; Water quality; Kansas; Organic carbon; Ammonium; Pollution control; Nitrates; Texture; Machine; Decontamination; Swine; pH; Magnesium; Ion exchange; Sampling; Ungulata; Ground water; Cation exchange; Motion; Floor; Bovine; Extractability; Bos taurus; Plume; Coastal lagoon; Soils; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Cation exchange capacity; Calcium carbonate; Water quality; Artiodactyla; Animal waste; Sus scrofa
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.0296

Movement of liquor constituents from animal-waste lagoons has the potential to degrade ground water quality. The depth of movement and concentrations of lagoon-liquor constituents in the soil underlying three cattle (Bos taurus)-waste retention lagoons and one swine (Sus scrofa)-waste lagoon were determined. Samples were taken by using a direct-push coring machine, dissected by depth, and analyzed for total N, organic C, CaCO3, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), texture, and extractable NO3, NH4, P, Cl, Ca, Mg, K, and Na. Ammonium N concentrations were greatest in the upper 0.5 m of soil under all four lagoons with concentrations ranging from 94 to 1139 mg kg(-1). Organic N was determined to make up between 39 and 74% of the total N beneath all lagoons. The swine lagoon had 2.4 kg N m(-2) in the underlying soil whereas the cattle lagoon with highest quantity of N had 1.2 kg N m(-2) in the underlying soil. Although N concentrations decreased with depth, N was greater than expected background levels at the bottom of some cores, indicating that the sampling efforts did not reach the bottom of the N plume. Nitrate N concentrations were generally less than 5 mg kg(-1) immediately below the lagoon floor. In the uppermost 0.5 m of soil underlying the swine and three cattle lagoons, NH4(+) occupied 44% and between 1 and 22% of the soil cation exchange sites, respectively. The depth of movement of N under these lagoons, as much as 4 m, may pose remediation difficulties at lagoon closure.