Soil and Water Conservation District
HEAVY USE PROTECTION AREA
Waste Management Systemon the Jim and Margaret Owen Farm
Jim and Margaret Owen raise hogs in 30' x 80' hoop structures with dirt floors covered by deep bedding. Area Engineer Doug Baker designed a 16' x 120' concrete apron to serve as a waste catchment as part of the Owen's waste management system. The concrete apron is sloped away from the hoop structures to direct the runoff towards the center where it exits onto a brome grass filter.
Legislative tour of the Owen's farm showed a variety of waste management systems. Here they view one of the hoop structures before the concrete sediment basin was poured.
Jim and Margaret Owen watching the construction of their concrete sediment basin.
Rerod setup for pouring of the curb. Note the lack of rerod in the center where the waste will enter the brome filter strip.
View of expansion felt between concrete and building foundation.
Area of concrete sloped for drainage and graded away from the building site.
Finished site with top soil sloped for ease of maintenance and erosion control. The site will be seeded to brome.
The manure from Jim and Margaret Owen's hog operation is used as part of their cropping system fertility plan. Soil testing and manure testing assure optimum use of the nutrients from their manure management system. Go to the Iowa Manure Management Action Group (IMMAG) web site for more information on manure management plans, events, and other manure management topics.