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Dairy Waste Management

Effluent ponds in irrigation districts are designed to be emptied towards the end of the irrigation season.

By Department of Primary Industries - 20th March 2003 - Back to News

Effluent ponds in irrigation districts are designed to be emptied towards the end of the irrigation season.  Now is the time to use your dairy effluent while the soils can soak up water and when irrigation water may still be available to mix it with.

It is good practice to have waste ponds empty at the start of winter so that effluent can be stored over the winter and spring months if they are wet.  Many people were caught last year and there is still plenty of time for the same situation to develop this year.

If effluent can be diluted with irrigation water it can be spread over a greater area of the farm and have less impact on the pasture and farm channels.  However, effluent should be managed so that run-off to the regional drains does not occur as it is rich in nutrients and may contain harmful microbes.

For advice on dairy effluent management contact Colin Waters or Barrie Bradshaw at DPI Ellinbank.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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