Indiana Farmstead Assessment for Drinking Water Protection


Livestock Waste Storage

Use this survey to assess the risk to water quality posed by your livestock waste storage. Circle the answer that best describes your situation. At the end of each section sum the numbers that correspond to each answer for the section. When you have completed the survey sum the section totals for the risk assessment score. Refer to Fact Sheet 7 for more information on livestock waste storage.

For each question, a (1) represents a higher risk to drinking water than a (3).

Location of Manure Storage

1. Is the manure storage structure more than 100 feet from:
water wells? Yes (3) No (1) surface waters? Yes (3) No (1) field tiles? Yes (3) No (1) 2. Is the manure storage structure downslope from: water wells? Yes (3) No (1) surface waters? Yes (3) No (1) 3. What is the soil texture at the site of your manure storage structure? clay (3) loam (2) sand (1) 4. Is the water table or fractured bedrock layer more than 20 feet below the bottom of the manure storage structure? Yes (3) No (2) 5. Is the seasonal high water table ever within 3 feet of the bottom of the manure storage structure? Yes (2) No (3) Location section total __________

Storage Structure

Storage Type For this section, answer only the questions for the type of manure that you store: liquid/semi-solid or solid.

    * If you use a water tight structure to store solid manure,
	  answer Question 6.

    Liquid or Semi-solid Manure Steel and concrete structures 

6.  Does the storage structure have any noticeable leaks?

	Yes (3)
	No  (9)

    Earthen storage pits and lagoons 7.  

Is the pit or lagoon lined with clay or plastic?

	Yes (3)
	No  (1)

8.  When pumping out the waste, have you seen any cracks in the soil
    or tears in the lining of the pit/lagoon?

	Yes (2)
	No  (1)

    Solid Manure Storage 

9.  What type of surface is your manure stacked on?

	concrete (3)
	earthen  (2)

10.  Is the manure stack exposed to rainfall or surface water runoff?

	Yes (1)
 	No  (3)

11.  Does the yard have a settling basin and/or grass infiltration
     strip to receive runoff?

	Yes (3)
	No  (1)

				Storage Type section total __________

Design and Maintenance

12. Was your manure storage structure designed and installed according to accepted engineering standards and specifications?

	Yes (3)
	No  (2)

13. Do you perform regular inspection and maintenance procedures on
    the manure storage structure (e.g., clean outlets and check for
    seepage, erosion, weakened berms, and burrowing animals)?

	Yes (3)
	No  (2)

14. Is all roof water and clean surface runoff diverted away from the
    manure storage structure?

	Yes (3)
	No  (2)

15. Have you ever had a leak or break in your manure storage structure
    that resulted in manure (solid or liquid) being released to the
    environment, either underground or aboveground?

	Yes (1)
	No  (3)

			Design and Maintenance section total __________

Risk Assessment for Livestock Waste Storage

Add the following totals:

Location section total ____ x 3 	= _____ 
Storage Type section total ____ x 2 	= _____ 
Design and Maintenance section total 	= _____

				Survey 7 Score    ____________


----------------------------------------------------------------------
	Low	       	    Moderate			High
     102 - 75		    74 - 60		       59 - 34
----------------------------------------------------------------------

To see Fact sheet 7 click here.

Livestock Waste Storage Fact Sheet


Reviewed 5/1/01

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