Mitigating Nutrient Loads from a CAFO in the Cape Fear River Basin

11. There are approximately 8.5 million hogs in NC with most housed in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Eastern NC. Animal waste from CAFOs is commonly treated using anaerobic lagoons and sprayfields. Due to the presence of broad floodplains and shallow water tables in the Coastal Plain, this region is especially vulnerable to water contamination via land applied waste, lagoon leakage, and contaminant transport during storms. CAFOs are criticized by some for societal issues (e.g., nuisance odors that may cause illness, declining property values, environmental damages at the community scale, etc.). However, some farmers have adopted best management practices (BMPs) to reduce odor, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and/or increase energy efficiency. One type of BMP used to mitigate air quality degradation is a lagoon capping system, which is effective at reducing odors and other airborne pollutants from emitting from lagoons. A recent study found that covered lagoons contained elevated nitrogen concentrations as compared to uncovered lagoons, thus large-scale adoption of lagoon covers may increase mass loads of nitrogen to water downgradient of land application sites. It is imperative to consider the efficacy of BMPs at reducing elevated nutrients and partner these efforts along with capping.

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