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West Virginia Success StoryWaste System Protects Water and Saves LaborProgram: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Overview: The Henderson Dairy Farm, operated by Jim Henderson, is located in Mason County, along the banks of the Kanawha River. The dairy operation consists of 85 head of Holstein cows. There was an animal waste management concern due to the absence of storage which required manure to be hauled on a daily basis. Pollutants from lot runoff and milkhouse waste were also a resource concern because they entered nearby Upper Fivemile Creek. Mr. Henderson has worked with local and area NRCS staff to address these resource concerns. Accomplishments: One noteworthy accomplishment was the design and installation of the animal waste system and it’s components. A picket-type stacker and slurry pond were installed to provide adequate storage for the waste produced by the dairy operation. Gutters and curbing were also installed to help separate clean water from contaminated water, and reduce the amount of liquids that would pass through the system. The stacking facility provides 90 days of storage which allows the manure from the facility to be utilized when conditions are suitable. The slurry pond provides 180 days of storage, and will be applied to cropland through a future irrigation system. A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) will be utilized to effectively and efficiently use the nutrient resources to adequately supply nutrients to soils and plants to produce food forage, fiber, and cover. This will minimize the transport of nutrients to ground and surface water and reduce environmental degradation. Program Benefits to the Landowner: Installing this system allows animal waste to be utilized as a nutrient source and significantly reduces surface and ground water contamination. Shortly after implementation of this practice Mr. Henderson recognized that he was saving around 1 to 2 hours of labor daily, by eliminating the need to haul manure on a daily basis. Program Benefits to the Community: The improvements have benefited the community by reducing the amount of contaminants that reach Upper Fivemile Creek, a short distance from the Kanawha River. Contact: Jason Crislip, Soil Conservationist
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