title: Spatially explicit methodology for coordinated manure management in shared watersheds.
abstract: Increased clustering and consolidation of livestock production systems has been linked to adverse impacts on water quality. This study presents a methodology to optimize manure management within a hydrologic region to minimize agricultural phosphorus (P) loss associated with winter manure application. Spatial and non-spatial data representing livestock, crop, soil, terrain and hydrography were compiled to determine manure P production rates, crop P uptake, existing manure storage capabilities, and transportation distances. Field slope, hydrologic soil group (HSG), and proximity to waterbodies were used to classify crop fields according to their runoff risk for winter-applied manure. We use these data to construct a comprehensive optimization model that identifies optimal location, size, and transportation strategy to achieve environmental and economic goals. The environmental goal was the minimization of daily hauling of manure to environmentally sensitive crop fields, i.e., those classified as high P-loss fields, whereas the economic goal was the minimization of the transportation costs across the entire study area. A case study encompassing two contiguous 10-digit hydrologic unit subwatersheds (HUC-10) in South Central Wisconsin, USA was developed to demonstrate the proposed methodology. Additionally, scenarios representing different management decisions (storage facility maximum volume, and project capital) and production conditions (increased milk production and 20-year future projection) were analyzed to determine their impact on optimal decisions.
authors.affiliation: Biological Systems Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharara
authors.affiliation: Chemical & Biological Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Apoorva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sampat
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Soil Science, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Laura W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Good
authors.affiliation: Dep. of Soil Science, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Amanda S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 1535 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Chemical & Biological Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Zavala
authors.affiliation: Biological Systems Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.affiliation: Biological Systems Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States. Electronic address: trunge@wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Troy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Runge
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D058751:Livestock; D008372:Manure; D010758:Phosphorus; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D008372:Manure; D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus
keywords: Community-based management; GIS; Manure management; Optimization; Phosphorus runoff