Abstract |
The Demonstration and Transfer of Selected New Technologies for Animal Waste Pollution Control project was conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Water Resources Institute and was designed as a means for evaluating animal waste treatment methods and their ability to remove phosphorus (P) from dairy waste. A variety of factors present in the North Bosque River watershed have led to the excessive loading of P and subsequent algal growth in the water body. As a result, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality developed two Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the North Bosque River mandating that P loading to the water body be reduced by at least 50 percent. Upper portions of the North Bosque River watershed are home to numerous dairy operations that can be a source of manageable P and other nutrients to the watershed. Prior to the development of this project, dairy producers in the area were approached by different companies soliciting their respective products that guaranteed P removal from their dairy waste and/or lagoons; however, the diary producers were not presented with scientific evidence to support these claims and were skeptical about actual results. This project was designed in response to the need for scientific evidence and evaluated the ability of four products/technologies to remove P from liquid dairy manure prior to its application on nearby fields. |