Released: March 13, 2002

Research Provides Answers to Farmers’, Citizens’ Concerns in Harvey County

NEWTON, Kan. – Residing in rural Harvey County since 1874, Gene Wendling’s family heritage instilled in him the importance of environmental protection through proper management of their cattle operation.

When a debate arose in the late 1990s involving lagoons in the multi-county region holding the Equus Beds groundwater basin, county commissioners decided they needed more facts before making decisions that will impact the future.

"I am 100 percent for water protection," said Wendling, a livestock producer and former Harvey County Commissioner. "When the issue arose, we wanted to have the argument fueled by facts, not emotion. That’s when K-State got involved."

Kansas State University scientists completed a four-year study in 2001 which provided information on the environmental impacts of earthen waste lagoons, which are commonly used to collect livestock or municipal waste. The study received funding from the Kansas Water Office and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

"Compared to four years ago, we know a lot more about lagoons – how they work, how much they seep, and more," said Jay Ham, project leader and K-State Research and Extension agronomist. "Until four years ago, seepage rates from lagoons had never been measured in Kansas. We now have a lot more science-based information that can help people make decisions."

Wendling viewed the study as a method to equal the water quantity playing field between urban and agricultural areas. Wendling said the research found a balance between urban and rural citizens. The region contains the wells supplying drinking water to numerous towns, including the cities of Wichita, Hutchinson and McPherson.

"It we’re going to make one part of the economy follow certain restrictions, then everyone should play by the same rules," Wendling said. "I wanted to make sure not to single out a certain segment instead of looking at the overall picture for pollution."

Through the local Extension office and other K-State contacts, eight producers in the Equus Beds region agreed to allow seepage testing or soil coring in their lagoons.

"The results surprised some people who were so concerned," Wendling said. "Lagoons are doing their job properly and not causing much of a problem."

Carolyn McGinn, Sedgwick County Commissioner, sat on an ad hoc committee of industry professionals as well as city and county officials to work for a compromised solution.

"The results of the study helped to educate people that lagoons were not leaking as much as some originally thought," McGinn said. "Some people without all of the information thought the pollutants leaked straight to the ground water, when that is not the case at all."

State officials initially sought data on seepage rates of animal waste lagoons due to misconceptions of nutrients threatening public water supplies. The research will assist in developing guidelines for granting permits to landowners who are building waste lagoons.

Ham said seepage rates were much lower than the previous state standard of one-fourth inch per day. On average, the 14 lagoons tested seeped less than 1/20 inch per day. Soil cores collected from old lagoons showed nitrogen and other nutrients were trapped in the soil within a few feet of the lagoon.

"There is a lot of variation in Kansas soils, especially in the central and eastern parts of the state, and that makes a difference," Ham said.

Ammonium nitrogen does accumulate in soils beneath lagoons over time, Ham said. Fortunately, soils absorb the nitrogen before it moves toward the groundwater. Steps may need to be taken to remove the nitrogen-laden soil from lagoons when they are decommissioned in a site-specific process.

"The science says you should still take a site-specific approach to building a waste lagoon," Ham said. "Even on an individual farm, there are areas where there may be some danger [to groundwater], and there are areas where there isn’t."

Kenny Meier, Harvey County commissioner, said he agreed with the results of the study.

"The bottom line of the research helped to base regulations to a site-specific process rather than blanketing the entire state with the same qualifications," he said. "If areas are more vulnerable, they should be treated differently."

Meier said the local citizens cooperated together to seek answers.

"The committee [found] a logical way to protect the county and agricultural interests to make each side comfortable," Meier said. "It eliminated fears and put them to rest."

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Lucas Shivers, Communications Assistant
lshivers@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News