NUTRIENT IMPACT OF SWINE CAFO WASTE ON SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
type: CreativeWork
description: Eastern North Carolina (ENC) is a significant pork producer in the United States, with most swine raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Swine wastewater typically contains elevated nutrient concentrations and is stored in lagoons (LG) until land application occurs. Periodically, nutrient-rich wastewater is applied to spray fields (SFs) to facilitate plant uptake by crops; however, nitrogen and/or phosphorus may leach into groundwater or run off into streams, potentially degrading water quality located hydraulically downgradient of SFs. The goal of this study was to analyze nutrient concentrations, transport, and physiochemical parameters of wastewater and water resources located hydraulically downgradient from SFs at a swine farm in ENC. Piezometers were installed to monitor groundwater quality in the surficial aquifer upgradient and downgradient of spray fields. Additionally, surface water quality was evaluated for streams upgradient and downgradient of the CAFO. Monthly samples were collected between July 2023 and February 2024, which were analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorus. Results revealed that wastewater irrigation from the LG influenced nutrient concentrations in water resources. Wastewater in the LG had a median Total Dissolved Nitrogen, TDN (1651.12 mg/L) and a phosphate concentration (7.48 mg/L), which was greater than all other groundwater sampling locations. Groundwater beneath the SF contained the next highest nutrient, and background concentrations were low. Streams located hydraulically downgradient from SF also tended to contain nutrient concentrations that were significantly greater than stream nutrient concentrations upstream of the farm (median TDN and phosphate of 1.25 mg/L and < 0.001, respectively). Stream discharge was substantially lower than expected, likely due to drought conditions that occurred before and during the study period. Median discharge at the downstream sampling location was 54.4 L/min, while the streams th…
abstract: Eastern North Carolina (ENC) is a significant pork producer in the United States, with most swine raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Swine wastewater typically contains elevated nutrient concentrations and is stored in lagoons (LG) until land application occurs. Periodically, nutrient-rich wastewater is applied to spray fields (SFs) to facilitate plant uptake by crops; however, nitrogen and/or phosphorus may leach into groundwater or run off into streams, potentially degrading water quality located hydraulically downgradient of SFs. The goal of this study was to analyze nutrient concentrations, transport, and physiochemical parameters of wastewater and water resources located hydraulically downgradient from SFs at a swine farm in ENC. Piezometers were installed to monitor groundwater quality in the surficial aquifer upgradient and downgradient of spray fields. Additionally, surface water quality was evaluated for streams upgradient and downgradient of the CAFO. Monthly samples were collected between July 2023 and February 2024, which were analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorus. Results revealed that wastewater irrigation from the LG influenced nutrient concentrations in water resources. Wastewater in the LG had a median Total Dissolved Nitrogen, TDN (1651.12 mg/L) and a phosphate concentration (7.48 mg/L), which was greater than all other groundwater sampling locations. Groundwater beneath the SF contained the next highest nutrient, and background concentrations were low. Streams located hydraulically downgradient from SF also tended to contain nutrient concentrations that were significantly greater than stream nutrient concentrations upstream of the farm (median TDN and phosphate of 1.25 mg/L and < 0.001, respectively). Stream discharge was substantially lower than expected, likely due to drought conditions that occurred before and during the study period. Median discharge at the downstream sampling location was 54.4 L/min, while the streams th…
author: Dilioha, Jude Onyinyechukwuka
language: English
keywords: Environmental Health
date published: 2026-05
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:13:47Z
provider: East Carolina University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: East Carolina University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10342/14792