71st SWCS International Annual Conference July 24-27, 2016 Louisville, KY

1. Evaluation of Improved
Poultry Litter Storage Sites
as a BMP to
Protect Water Quality
Peter Tomlinson – Extension Specialist and Asst. Professor
Barrett Smith – MS Graduate Research Assistant
Herschel George – SE Kansas Watershed Specialist

2. Back Ground
• 1999 – Arkansas & Oklahoma Poultry industry requests
– Voluntary environmental training for growers
– Require NMP as part of contracts
• 2001 ‐ Oklahoma proposes a Phosphorus water quality
standard 0.037 ppm in scenic rivers
• 2002 – City of Tulsa files class action lawsuit against 6
Poultry Integrators
– No P application in Eucha‐Spavinaw basin
– By Jan ‘’04 ‐ P‐Index developed jointly by Univ. of Arkansas
and Oklahoma State Univ.
• 2003 ‐ Passes new regulations for poultry litter and
nutrient applications

3. The Challenge

4. Poultry Litter Management
• Production ‐ Value as fertilizer
• Unbalanced fertilizer
– Nutrient ratios (N, P, K, etc.) are fixed
– Nitrogen based application exceed crop
Phosphorus requirements.
– Minimize impact on water quality
• Fertility source not manure disposal

6. What can
WE do ??
Not manure disposal but Fertilizer Resource

7. Improved Storage Site
Demonstration Project and Research
• Site evaluation
• 50% cost share on pad and access
improvements
• Agronomic commitments
– Soil testing
– Maintain soil P levels below 50 ppm (Bray or M3)
– Apply based on crop P requirements

11. April ‐ June 2015
Flow Weighted Means

12. April ‐ June 2015
Flow Weighted Means

13. July ‐ September 2015
Flow Weighted Means (Litter Present)

14. July ‐ September 2015
Flow Weighted Means (Litter Present)

15. October ‐ December 2015
Flow Weighted Means (Litter Present)

16. October ‐ December 2015
Flow Weighted Means (Litter Present)

17. Storage Pad ‐ 2016
Flow Weighted Means

18. • Properly locating storage locations is key to
protecting water quality.
• Cropland buffer was effective at capturing
nutrients and solids.
• Next Steps
– Install sampling equipment on terrace isolated from
storage site
– Evaluate site with grassland/permanent pasture buffer
Improved Storage Site Research

19. Thank You
Peter Tomlinson ‐ ptomlin@ksu.edu or (785) 532‐3198