Project Number: 6226-63000-001-17
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Oct 01, 2008
End Date: Sep 30, 2012

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research is to develop fundamental baseline data for understanding pathogen sources, fate and transport in surface runoff water from pastures.

Approach:
Research will be conducted on both small plots and at the field scale. Rainfall simulations will be conducted on 72 small plots to evaluate the effects of time after manure application, type of manure, manure treatments, and weather on pathogen survival and runoff. We will also monitor pathogen runoff for two years from 28 small watersheds to determine effects of the following treatments on pathogen transport: 1) grazing/pasture managment, 2) poultry litter application methods, 3) chemical treatment of litter, 4) runoff type (sub-surface flow vs. overland flow), treating biosolids with water treatment residuals, and 5) different landscape positions and flow pathways. We will also assess the viability of using indicator organisms by conducting correlation studies with data obtained from the studies above to determine if E. coli or Enterococci counts are related to specific pathogens present in runoff water from fields fertilized with poultry and/or beef manure.