Livestock Nutrient Management Program

Updated: December 17, 2007

Nutrient Management Plans

Dairy: All newly licensed dairies are required to have an "approved" Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) on site within 6 months of licensing, and a "certified" NMP on site within 2 years of licensing.

"Approved" NMP- The plan has been approved and signed by the local conservation district as meeting the checklist.

"Certified" NMP - A two part certification: 1)The plan has been certified by the local conservation district when the plan elements are in place and implemented, and 2) The plan has been certified by the livestock operator when the operator certifies that he/she is implementing the plan as written.

Dairy NMP Minimum Elements

CAFO: All permitted CAFO's, diary and non-dairy, are required to have a nutrient management plan that meets the CAFO permit requirements established by Ecology in the July 2006 General CAFO permit or in an individual CAFO permit.

Existing CAFO's - NMP must be updated and implemented by January 31, 2008.*

New CAFO's - NMP must be submitted with the CAFO permit application.

CAFO NMP Minimum Elements

*Anticipated date but should check with Permit Coordinator at Washington Department of Ecology.

All Dairies and CAFO's are required to have their Livestock Nutrient Management Plans and records on site.

The Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) are individually designed to satisfy the requirements of Washington State's Dairy Nutrient Management Act and/or the CAFO permit requirements. The purpose of the NMP is to provide the facility manager with a system that allows operation of the livestock facility while preventing pollution or degradation of waters of the state.

Each basic function of the operation - production, collection, storage, transfer, treatment and use - is covered. The basis for nutrient management is agronomic use of the solid and liquid components of manure. If followed, the plan will help facilities meet existing regulations and will also protect both surface and ground water from contamination by the operation.

The objectives of the plan include:

Preventing discharge of contaminated waste water to streams, drainage ditches, or other surface waters from the facility
Preventing migration of contaminants from the facility to the underlying aquifer
Using facility nutrients to supply crop nutrient needs at rates and times tailored to reach realistic yield goals.
Meeting the requirements of the Dairy Nutrient Management Act of 1998 (RCW 90.64), the Clean Water Act and compliance with Federal, State And local laws regarding water quality standards.

The term "waters of the State" is defined at RCW 90.48.020 which includes but is not limited to:

Lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, inland waters, underground waters, salt waters
All other surface waters and watercourses within the jurisdiction of the state of Washington.

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Minimum Elements of a Dairy NMP

The Dairy Nutrient Management Plans are designed to satisfy the requirements of the Washington State Dairy Nutrient Management Act, RCW 90.64. The minimum requirements were established by the Conservation Commission in conjunction with technical advisors.

Approval Checklist used by Conservation Districts

Do all standard practices meet the standards, specifications and methods described in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide and the NRCS Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook, and if alternative practices are utilized, have such practices been approved by the Washington Conservation Commission?
Is a summary of the operation included (name, location, acres available for nutrient management, herd size, existing nutrient management facilities)?
Does the dairy nutrient management plan developed after November 1, 1998 follow the planning format adopted by the Washington Conservation Commission?
Have the following been inventoried and evaluated to identify potential pollution sources and to determine water quality protection needs: all fields used in the dairy operation; cattle confinement areas; barns; milking facilities; waste collection, handling and storage facilities; feed storage and mixing areas; riparian areas; irrigation systems; and drainage systems?
If the plan has not been fully implemented, is there a schedule of planned practices listing the location, what will be done, how much will be done and when it will be completed?
Are forage and crop fields identified and their acreage shown on an aerial photo, topographic map or a plan map drawn to scale?
Is a month-by-month nutrient application schedule included? A nutrient balance sheet (including nutrient requirements of crops that will receive dairy wastes)?
Are crop yield values or estimates supported in the plan, or in the dairy producer's case file?
If manure must be utilized elsewhere, are off-site manure management agreements included in the plan?
Is an operation plan included for the waste management system?
Are the major factors influencing the quantity of manure and wastewater described (e.g., herd size and composition, climatic data, existing runoff controls, etc.)?
Are existing manure and wastewater collection systems evaluated, and needed improvements described?
Are storage facilities for solid and liquid manure described, are storage needs described, and are the calculations and worksheets used to determine storage needs included?
Are transfer facilities and systems described?
If the manure or wastewater is treated, is this described?
Are soils described, including their physical capacity to accept nutrient applications?
Is nutrient testing of soils and manure required, and testing procedures described?
Is a recordkeeping system included that covers soil and manure tests, application of the solid and liquid components of the manure, cropping, and other significant factors and practices?
Are the periods and conditions clearly described when dairy nutrients can be safely and agronomically applied?
Are the periods and conditions clearly described when dairy nutrients should not be applied?

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Minimum Elements of a CAFO NMP

1) Facility Information

A) Owner

B) Operator

C) Type of facility (open-lot, free stall)

D) Short Description of the operation (dairy, feedlot)

E) Location

F) Address

G) Legal description of the location

H) Latitude and longitude of facility

I) Effected watershed

1) If there are listed impaired waters in the watershed

2) References where to find the information

J) Is the property listed in a source water protection area for ground water

K) Is there a TMDL and are there any concerns

L) Average annual precipitation

M) Identify the 25 year, 24 hour or100 year, 24 hour (New Facilities) storm event

N) Location of weather station

O) Permit Type

2) Resource Issue(s)

3) BMP Implementation Schedule

4) Nutrient Management Plan Approval and Certification

A) NM Planner, affiliation, telephone number and signature

B) Dates plan

1) Approved

2) Certified by Planner

3) Certified by Producer

4) Implemented

5) Plan revision or update

6) Modification � What conditions will require a modification of the NMP

5) Annual Reporting Requirements

A) List items to be reported annually

B) When to report

C) Where to send the report

6) Permit Application and Renewal

A) Expected Expiration Date

7) Summary

The summary should be a reference of the requirements in the NMP. In the summary the producer should be able to find the details in the Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) or farm plan.

8) Animal Production System

Description of herd, number of animals, animal units, and maximum herd size the plan is designed to cover.

9) Manure collection, transfer, and storage areas - Explanation of how manure collection, transfer, storage, containment, and handling facilities are designed operated and maintained to meet requirements of the CAFO Permit

A) Is storage designed and certified by an licensed engineer

B) Does it conform to the effluent limitation guidelines

C) Annual manure production, amount and percentage handled as solid and liquid

D) Manure collection, transfer, and storage systems description

1) Liquid Manure � System description

(a) Storage requirements- number of days storage required, volume required based on maximum herd size

(b) Storage Capacity � number of days /volume at maximum herd size

(a) Annual rainfall, 24 hour/25 year storm event (24 hours/100 year storm event for new facilities)

(b) Silage Leachate Containment

(d) Contaminated corral runoff

(d) Depth marker locations, system description and estimated volumes at marks, inspection records and record retention

(e) Treatments

(f) Maintenance Schedule (Solids removal, dike maintained weed free and inspected periodically for rodent activity, etc)

(g) A leak detection plan

(a) Surface water

(b) Ground water

(i) Calculations of water entering and leaving the lagoon. The calculations are to show if there is an unexplained loss and possible leak.

1. Include all potential Inputs (barn wash, trough runoff, urine, leachate, storm water, truck wash, other)

2. Outputs (spreading, evaporation, other)

2) Solid Manure Storage � System description

(a) Storage requirements- number of days required, volume required at maximum herd size

(b) Storage Capacity � number of days /volume at maximum herd size

(d) Maintenance Schedule

(e) Composting operations

10) Additional wastewater and storm water containment facilities and handling protocols - Explanation of how wastewater and storm water containment and handling facilities are designed operated and maintained to meet requirements of the CAFO Permit

Silage/Cannery Waste leachate containment

Facility processing water

Parlor wash down water

Facility process water (egg washing, etc)

11) Land Application Management - Explanation of how land management practices meet requirements of the CAFO Permit.

A) Identify protocols for appropriate testing of manure, litter, process wastewater, and soil (frequency and constituents to be tested)

B) Establish protocols to land apply manure, litter or process wastewater in accordance with site specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter or process wastewater

C) List Spreadable/wettable areas (acreage) by field Id

1) P Index rating, date of soil test used to evaluate P Index

2) List crop(s), rotations

3) Irrigation system

4) Site specific conservation practice (buffers, etc to control runoff of pollutants)

D) Manure handling equipment

1) Solid manure applicators � volume per load, nutrients per load, and calibration protocols, Is nutrient per load from a current manure sample or based on book value, calibration procedures, recordkeeping of calibration, maintenance and repairs and records retention time

2) Liquid manure applicators � volume per load, nutrients per load, and calibration protocols, Is nutrient per load from a current manure sample or based on book value, calibration procedures, recordkeeping of calibration, maintenance and repairs and records retention time

3) Irrigation applications of manure � system description, maximum application rate based on soil infiltration rates (inches per hour) and system design, nutrients per gallon or inch, calibration procedures, recordkeeping of calibration, maintenance and repairs and records retention time

4) Land Application Records - list requirements including expected crop yields, date manure applied, weather conditions, type of nutrient applied, method used to apply, calculations to determine crop needs and actual amount applied for both nitrogen and phosphorus for each field receiving manure and/or commercial fertilizer, records retention time

5) Additional irrigation water applications

12) Transfer or Export of Manure

A) Receipt Agreements

B) Record requirements and records retention time to include

1) Date of transfer,

2) Amount transferred

3) Who received the exported manure

C) Nutrient content

13) Environmental Monitoring Plan (large CAFO�s only) - Emergency Management Plan for spills or other catastrophic events for Production area and Land application areas. Explanation of how Emergency Management Plan meets requirements of CAFO Permit

A) Protocols for reporting

B) Recordkeeping requirements and retention

1) Discharges include date, time and estimated volume of overflows

2) Why /how the discharge happened

3) Actions taken to stop the spill

4) Date and who was notified

5) Actions taken to prevent future spills

14) Animal Mortality Management Plan - Ensure proper management of mortalities (i.e., dead animals) to ensure that they are not disposed of in a liquid manure, storm water, or process wastewater storage or treatment system that is not specifically designed to treat animal mortalities.

15) Clean Water Inspection and Maintenance Plan

A) System to ensure clean water is diverted, as appropriate, from the production area

B) Inspection plan (including inspection frequency, and methods of documentation)

C) Maintenance plan

D) Prevent direct contact of confined animals with surface waters of the state

16) Chemical Handling Plan �Ensure that chemicals and other contaminants handled on-site are not disposed of in any manure, litter, process wastewater, or storm water storage or treatment system unless specifically designed to treat such chemicals and other contaminants. Plan should include

A) Storage

B) Handling

C) Spill prevention and response

17) Other technologies used other than NRCS practices

A) Justification the practices work as well or better than NRCS procedures

18) Maps

A) Production area

1) Identify:

(a) All Confinement Areas

(b) Manure storage areas

(d) Identify locations of farm buildings

(e) Feed storage

(f) Raw material storage areas

(g) Sensitive environmental features

(a) sinkholes

(b) wells

(d) field drain outlets

(h) Other relevant physical features

(i) Legend

B) Land application area

1) Identify all fields where manure and wastewater is to be land applied

(a) Identify the field boundaries

(b) Buffers

(d) Sensitive environmental features

(a) sinkholes

(b) wells

(d) field drain outlets

(e) nearest surface water bodies

C) Soil Survey Map

1) Copy of NRCS county soil survey map covering production and application areas

2) Topographical map (note: this is also a requirement of the application)

(a) The following items must be clearly marked

(a) Facility

(b) Streets

(d) Wetlands

(e) Streams

(f) Forested areas

.

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