The expanding dairy industry: Impact on ground water quality and quantity with emphasis on waste management system evaluation for open lot dairies.

...The overall objective of the project was to evaluate dairy waste management systems in North Central Texas. The specific objectives of the project were: 1. To assess the potential impact of the rapidly growing dairy industry on ground water use and quality of the Trinity Group Aquifer; 2. To develop technologies to prevent point and nonpoint pollutants from dairies from entering receiving waters; 3. To determine the water use for sanitation, manure management and cow watering at typical dairy farms in Erath County, Texas; 4. To provide design information and guidelines for wastewater management systems for storage, treatment and land application of manure and wastewater from the milking center and feeding lanes so that this information can be used in developing waste management plans and permit applications for dairy facilities; 5. To determine typical water requirements for dairies in regard to any future surface or ground water management policy for the region; 6. To develop technical guidelines for dairy operators for water conservation and disposal of wastewater and solid manure; and 7. To identify and evaluate best management practices for land disposal of dairy manure and wastewater. The equipment and procedures used to achieve these objectives are described in following sections. The data are presented and discussed. Conclusions and recommendations are made based on the date. The report begins with a summary of regulatory considerations relative to environmental (water and air) quality protection by confined animal operations and a description of dairy waste management system alternatives.