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Elk River/Shoal Creek Water Quality Restoration Project _ Executive Summary
The Elk River/Shoal Creek watersheds lie within McDonald, Newton, Barry, and a small portion of Lawrence County in the southwest corner of Missouri. Streams and rivers within these watersheds are public drinking water sources and are used heavily for floating, camping, and whole body contact recreation activities. The Elk River basin has 126.5 miles of stream segments impaired due to nutrients from nonpoint source pollution from livestock production. Shoal Creek has 13.5 miles of impaired streams due to fecal coliform from unknown agricultural sources. These watersheds have experienced an increase of about 15 percent in residential population this past decade and a rapid expansion in the poultry industry. This increase in poultry production has created serious concerns about the impact on the water quality due to land application of poultry waste. Currently in the Elk River Basin there are 31 Class I poultry facilities, 116 Class II, and 37 with operations smaller than Class II with Letters of Approval based on best management practices.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project will implement best management practices which include: development and implementation of comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs); transport of poultry litter out of the watersheds to areas of intensive crop production; construction of poultry litter stacking sheds; tarps to prevent runoff from stored litter; pH correction of soils on farms utilizing CNMPs; piloting of livestock watering wells with rotational grazing systems; and livestock exclusion from streams. This project will be coordinated with other 319 projects in the area for outreach and education that will focus on proper nutrient management of poultry and livestock wastes.
OBJECTIVES
1. To develop Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) on 100 farms (about 15,000 acres) to prevent overapplication of nitrogen and phosphorus to soils.
2. To record the amount of litter that is being applied according to CNMPs in the watershed.
3. To increase nutrient uptake on 6,000 acres under CNMPs by correcting soils with a pH below 5.8, thus reducing nutrient runoff.
4. To construct 24 manure storage sheds to enable proper timing of nutrient application and prevent uncovered outside storage of litter. This will allow approximately 326 tons of nitrogen and 326 tons of phosphate per year in the litter to be managed properly so risk of runoff into waterbodies is reduced.
5. To reduce runoff from 100 tons of litter per tarp (10 tarps) so litter can be temporarily stored in close proximity to an area that is in need of the nutrients. This will aid in management of 2.5 tons of nitrogen and 2.5 tons of phosphate/tarp/use. The tarps will be used in a watershed not listed for nutrients on the 303d list.
6. To demonstrate the feasibility of transporting 3,200 tons of litter containing approximately 80 tons of nitrogen and 80 tons of phosphate out of the watershed.
7. To protect streams from sedimentation and fecal contamination from livestock on 20 farms or 5 miles of stream.
8. To construct wells to supply water for managed grazing systems when this is the least cost and most environmentally beneficial option for livestock drinking water.
9. To hire a project coordinator, technician, and clerk to accomplish the above objectives.
10. To contact landowners with current animal waste plans for review and update to CNMPs on 50 farms.
11. To promote the goals and successes of the Elk River/Shoal Creek Water Quality Restoration Project to the media and to the public through the current Elk River Water Quality Demonstration 319 Project.
12. To aid in quantification of the nutrient problem in the watershed through compilation of soil and litter analyses.
13. To provide progressive photographic documentation of all tasks listed in milestones. At minimum this would include photos of " before and after" installation of BMPs.
PRODUCTS
Expected products will include 150 comprehensive nutrient management plans; 24 manure storage sheds, pH correction on 6,000 acres; 10 litter storage tarps; feasibility study of litter transport to intensive crop production areas in need of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers; 20 livestock watering wells in combination with rotational grazing systems; compilation of soil and litter analyses as an indicator of quantification of the nutrient problem in the watersheds; exclusion fencing on 5 miles of riparian corridor; and photographic documentation of all the tasks included in the milestones.
PROJECT SPONSOR
McDonald County Soil and Water Conservation District
COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, the Southwest Missouri RCandD, Simmons Foods, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc., Willow Brook Foods, Inc., MOARK Productions, Inc., Butterball Turkey Company, George's Inc., and the University of Missouri "Education/Information to Reduce Water Pollution and Increase Management Practices Utilized by Livestock and Poultry Producers in Southwest Missouri" 319 project.
CONTACT
McDonald County Soil and Water Conservation District
1900 South HWY. 71
Neosho, MO 64850
Lynn Jenkins, District Conservationist
telephone: 417-451-1366, Ext. 3
email: lynn.jenkins@mo.usda.gov
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