Project Number: 6226-63000-001-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 03, 2005
End Date: Apr 02, 2010

Objective:
1) Determine the factors that affect P chemistry and transport in soil, water and manure. 2) Determine the long-term impacts of manure management strategies at animal production operations, manure storage areas and pasture application sites on soil, water and air resources. 3) Develop and evaluate management practices and decision tools to limit nutrient (N and P), pathogen and pharmaceutically active compound pollution of surface waters. 3a) Determine the factors that influence surface runoff within watersheds. 4) Determine ammonia emission rates from manure at animal production operations, manure storage areas and pasture application sites; develop management practices and control technologies to reduce ammonia losses. 5) Determine the sources and occurrence of nutrients, organic wastewater compounds, pathogens and antibiotic residuals at the watershed scale.

Approach:
Both long-term and short-term studies will be conducted. A long-term study (13 years) will be conducted on the impacts of various pasture management strategies (over grazing, rotational grazing, haying, etc.) on pasture hydrology, nutrient runoff, soil erosion and forage production. The results of this study will be utilized to revise the Arkansas Phosphorus (P) Index. Another long-term study (7 years) will be conducted to determine the effects of pasture renovation and litter incorporation on P runoff, ammonia emissions and forage yields. Ammonia emissions will also be measured from commercial broiler houses and on land following manure application. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop cost-effective best management practices (BMPs) for poultry manure management which improve air and water quality.