Effectiveness of Vegetated Buffer Strips in Controlling Pollution from Feedlot Runoff

A rainulator was used to test vegetative buffer strips for their ability to control pollution from feedlot runoff. Cropped buffer strips on a 4% slope reduced runoff and total solids transported from a feedlot by 67 and 79%, respectively. Total N and P were reduced by an average of 84 and 83%, respectively. Ammonium-N and PO<-P were similarly reduced, but average NOj-N in the runoff increased because some NOj-N was gained from the sorghum (Sorghum vulgare L.)sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense L.) and the oat (A vena saliva L.) buffer strips. During both years, the number of coliform organisms in the runoff water was reduced after runoff passed through the vegetated buffer strips. These results indicated that nonstructural feedlot discharge control practices are a promising alternative method for controlling pollution from feedlot runoff. Additional Index Words: runoff filter strips, vegetated filters, livestock waste, rainulator. Young, R. A., T. Huntrods, and W. Anderson. 1980. Effectiveness of vegetated buffer strips in controlling pollution from feedlot runoff. J. Environ. Qual. 9:483-487. 1 Contribution from the North Central Soil Conserv. Res. Lab., Sci. and Educ. Admin., Agric. Res., USDA, Morris, Minn., in cooperation with the Minn. Pollut. Control Agency and the Minn. Agric. Exp. Station, Sci. Journal Series 10,851. Received 9 Oct. 1979. 2 Agricultural Engineer, USDA, Morris, Minn. and Asst. Professor, Univ. of Minn., St. Paul, Minn.; Consulting Engineer, Tolz, King, Duvall, Anderson & Assoc., Inc., St. Paul, Minn.; and Head, Agric. Unit. Div. of Water Quality, Minn. Pollution Control Agency, Roseville, Minn., respectively. T. Huntrods was formerly Chief of Section of Agric. Waste, Minn. Pollution Control Agency, Roseville, Minn. The potential of runoff from livestock feedlots for polluting receiving bodies of water has been widely documented. Runoff from livestock feedlots has long been recognized as a potential source of pollution, and available technology has indicated that the best method of controlling runoff is to install a runoff catchment basin. As these basins were put into widespread use under existing state and federal feedlot pollution-control regulations, certain problems became apparent: (i) basins are expensive, even when available cost-sharing and tax incentives are taken into account; (ii) runoff control basins often require operators to purchase or rent liquid, manure-handling equipment; (iii) because no discharge-evaluation technique had been proven, enforcement and technical-assistance agencies often require catchment basins, even if the possibility of pollutant discharge is remote; and (iv) if the catchment basin is not maintained properly, odors at various times of the year may become a nuisance for both operators and their neighbors. Alternative pollution-control measures or landmanagement techniques that reduce or prevent discharge of pollutants were needed. This paper investigates the feasibility of using different management treatments to control the discharge of pollutants below active feedlots. Our specific objective was to evaluate the ability of land and cropping practices to absorb and retain pollutants in runoff from livestock feedlots. J. Environ. Qual., Vol. 9, no. 3,1980 483