EVALUATION OF VEGETATIVE FILTER STRIPS FOR SWINE LAGOON WASTE-WATER

Vegetative filter strips (VFS), on slopes of 5 and 11%, were used as a means of treating wastewater effluent from the second cell of a swine waste anaerobic lagoon system. Wastewater samples from both surface r unoff and soil percolate (depths of 0.3, 0.9, and 1.5 m) were collecte d and analyzed for TKN-N, NH4-N, ON-N, NO3-N, pH, GOD, K, EC, and TP-P . Using these analyses, along with the hydraulic loading rates and qua ntitative runoff collection mass balances were calculated to determine the surface treatment of the lagoon effluent. Mass balance estimates suggest that the vegetative filter strip is an excellent treatment sys tem for liquid lagoon effluents with mass reductions of greater than 3 4% (total solids) for all parameters on both slopes. except NO3-N, whi ch had an approximate increase of 63% on the 11% slope. Samples collec ted from the three lysimeter depths (soil percolate) suggest that NO3- N leaching from the plots may be a concern over an extended period of use.