Water News Archive

What is Toxic Blue-green Algae?

Author: Tadd M Barrow, formerly Water Quality Extension Educator, School of Natural Resources

NOTE: The Volunteering Monitoring Program referred to on slide 11 below (Flash application) has been discontinued, and Tadd Barrow is no longer with the University. Private lake testing is at the discretion and expense of the owner.

Pond Management Tool

A pond is a delicate aquatic ecosystem where multiple interactions affect one another. Knowing the surface area and volume of a pond is critical information to making proper pond management decisions about chemical dose, evaporation/filling rates, fish stocking rates, etc. Inaccurate measurements of area or volume can lead to ineffective aquatic plant management via under dosing, or worse, overdosing. Overdosing can remove too much plant biomass causing oxygen depletion and can potentially lead to fish kills.

Nonpoint source or runoff pollution is harmful to the water quality of our lakes, ponds, and streams. Many of our daily activities contribute to runoff pollution leaving our property and harming our lakes, ponds, and streams. Water quality protection practices help to reduce runoff pollution and protect our water resources.

Contact the Manure Team

Livestock & Poultry Expansion: Critical Issues for Discussion with Farmers and Communities

There is a growing interest in establishing new livestock and poultry facilities in Nebraska, many of which will involve contractual arrangement with supply chain partners. Our purpose is to inform Extension educators and other farm advisors on those critical issues to be considered in the planning of a new livestock/poultry facility and prepare these advisors for leading farmers successfully through this process.

Livestock and Poultry Expansion Webinars

Odor emission is of great concern to the general public. An odor management plan is required in the permit application for livestock operations with more than 1,000 animal units. Producers need to understand odor emission from animal housing, manure storage and handling, and land application and available management options.

Air Quality Issues

The federal Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990 (CAAA) has provisions of importance to producers of agricultural products. Although protecting air quality has inherent implications for livestock and poultry health as well as profitability, the language of air quality is derived principally from environmental regulations designed to protect public health and the use and enjoyment of private property.

Animal manures contain both organic and inorganic forms of phosphorus. When manure mineralizes, organic phosphorus becomes inorganic phosphorus in solution and is available to plants. Some organic phosphorus is transformed to inorganic form shortly after application but other phosphorus will remain in organic form

Manure Nutrient Losses

Manure nutrients are lost during manure handling, storage, treatment, and application. Manure nitrogen is especially vulnerable to volatilization when ammonium is transformed to ammonia. Losses of phosphorus and potassium are primarily due to runoff and erosion.