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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #103549

Title: INFLUENCE OF VEGETATION IN RIPARIAN FILTERSTRIPS ON COLIFORM BACTERIA: II. SURVIVAL IN SOILS

Author
item Entry, James
item Hubbard, Robert
item THIES, JANICE - UNIV. OF WESTERN SYDNEY
item FUHRMANN, JEFFRY - UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The number and size of animal production operations in the United States has been steadily increasing for several decades. Large volumes of animal waste are generated as waste water from urine and animal washing and as semi-solid or solid manure. Because advanced waste water treatments are cost prohibitive for animal waste, the only economically viable alternative for manure disposal is land application. Land application of animal waste is a major source of microorganisms pathogenic to humans. We investigated the survival of total and fecal coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 90 days after swine wastewater application to 30 m long vegetated riparian filterstrips. The treatments evaluated were 1) 20 m grass/10 m forest 2) 10 m grass/20 m forest and 3) 10 m grass/20 m maidencane riparian filterstrips in southern Georgia during each season of the year. Total and fecal coliform bacterial populations were usually higher in the top 0-5 cm of soil than in the 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths in all treatments. In general, total and fecal coliform bacterial populations declined approximately one order of magnitude every 7 days to 14 days after waste application in all seasons of the year. Ninety days after waste application total and fecal coliform bacteria populations in the top 30 cm of soil did not differ from riparian filterstrips that did not have animal waste applied. Total coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths correlated with temperature and moisture in a curvilinear relationship. Fecal coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm of soil also correlated with temperature and moisture in a curvilinear relationship.

Technical Abstract: We investigated the survival of total and fecal coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 90 days after swine wastewater application to 30 m long riparian filterstrips. The treatments evaluated were 1) 20 m grass/10 m forest, 2) 10 m grass/20 m forest and 3) 10 m grass/20 m maidencane riparian filterstrips in southern Georgia during each season of the year. During autumn the 20 m grass/10 m forest filterstrip had generally higher total and fecal coliform bacteria in the 0-5 and 6-15 cm deep layers than did the 10 m grass/20 m forest and 10 m grass/20 m maidencane filterstrips. Total and fecal coliform bacterial populations were usually higher in the top 0-5 cm of soil than in the 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths in all treatments. Total and fecal coliform bacterial populations in soil were usually higher in filterstrips after wastewater application than in riparian areas that were not grazed or did not have waste applied (controls). In general total and fecal coliform bacterial populations declined approximately one order of magnitude every 7 days to 14 days after waste application in all seasons of the year. Ninety days after waste application total and fecal coliform bacteria populations in the top 30 cm of soil did not differ from riparian filterstrips that did not have animal waste applied. Total coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm soil depths correlated with temperature and moisture in a curvilinear relationship (r squared = 0.80 , 0.77, and 0.64 respectively). Fecal coliform bacteria in the 0-5, 6-15 and 16-30 cm of soil also correlated with temperature and moisture in a curvilinear relationship (r squared = 0.56 , 0.53, and 0.53 respectively).