Iowa Admin. Code r. 567-65.101

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 8, October 30, 2024

Rule 567-65.101 - Requirements for land application of manure from a confinement feeding operation

(1)General requirements for application rates and practices for confinement feeding operations.

a. For manure originating from an anaerobic lagoon or aerobic structure, application rates and practices shall be used to minimize groundwater or surface water pollution resulting from application, including pollution caused by runoff or other manure flow resulting from precipitation events. In determining appropriate application rates and practices, the person land-applying the manure shall consider the site conditions at the time of application including anticipated precipitation and other weather factors, field residue and tillage, site topography, the existence and depth of known or suspected tile lines in the application field, and crop and soil conditions, including a good-faith estimate of the available water-holding capacity given precipitation events, the predominant soil types in the application field and planned manure application rate.

b. Spray irrigation equipment shall be operated in a manner and with an application rate and timing that does not cause runoff of the manure onto the property adjoining the property where the spray irrigation equipment is being operated.

c. For manure from an earthen waste slurry storage basin, earthen manure storage basin, or formed manure storage structure, restricted spray irrigation equipment shall not be used unless the manure has been diluted with surface water or groundwater to a ratio of at least 15 parts water to 1 part manure. Emergency use of spray irrigation equipment without dilution shall be allowed to minimize the impact of a release as approved by the department.

(2)Separation distance requirements for land application of manure. Land application of manure shall be separated from objects and locations as specified in this subrule.

a. For liquid manure from a confinement feeding operation, the required separation distance from a residence not owned by the titleholder of the land, a business, a church, a school, or a public use area is 750 feet, as specified in Iowa Code section 459.204. The separation distance for application of manure by spray irrigation equipment shall be measured from the actual wetted perimeter and the closest point of the residence, business, church, school, or public use area.

b. The separation distance specified in paragraph 65.101(2)"a" shall not apply if any of the following apply:

(1) The liquid manure is injected into the soil or incorporated within the soil not later than 24 hours after the original application.

(2) The titleholder of the land benefitting from the separation distance requirement executes a written waiver with the titleholder of the land where the manure is applied.

(3) The liquid manure originates from a SAFO.

(4) The liquid manure is applied by low-pressure spray irrigation equipment pursuant to paragraph 65.101(2)"a."

c. Separation distance for spray irrigation from property boundary line. Spray irrigation equipment shall be set up to provide for a minimum distance of 100 feet between the wetted perimeter as specified in the spray irrigation equipment manufacturer's specifications and the boundary line of the property where the equipment is being operated. The actual wetted perimeter, as determined by wind speed and direction and other operating conditions, shall not exceed the boundary line of the property where the equipment is being operated. For property that includes a road right-of-way, railroad right-of-way or an access easement, the property boundary line shall be the boundary line of the right-of-way or easement.

d. Distance from structures for low-pressure irrigation systems. Low-pressure irrigation systems shall have a minimum separation distance of 250 feet between the actual wetted perimeter and the closest point of a residence, a business, church, school or public use area.

e. Waivers. Waivers to paragraph 65.101(2)"c" may be granted by the department if sufficient and proposed alternative information is provided to substantiate the need and propriety for such action. Waivers may be granted on a temporary or permanent basis. The request for a waiver shall be in writing and include information regarding:

(1) The type of manure storage structure from which the manure will be applied by spray irrigation equipment.

(2) The spray irrigation equipment to be used in the application of manure.

(3) Other information as the department may request.

f. Agricultural drainage wells. Manure shall not be applied by spray irrigation equipment on land located within an agricultural drainage well area.

g. Designated areas. A person shall not apply manure on land within 200 feet from a designated area or in the case of a high-quality water resource, within 800 feet, unless one of the following applies:

(1) The manure is land-applied by injection or incorporation on the same date as the manure was land-applied.

(2) An area of permanent vegetation cover, including filter strips and riparian forest buffers, exists for 50 feet surrounding the designated area other than an unplugged agricultural drainage well or surface intake to an unplugged agricultural drainage well, and the area of permanent vegetation cover is not subject to manure application.

h. Setback requirements for confinement feeding operations with NPDES permits. For confinement feeding operations with NPDES permits, the following is adopted by reference: 40 CFR 412.4(a), (b) and (c)(5).

(3)Surface application of liquid manure on frozen or snow-covered ground. A person who applies liquid manure on frozen or snow-covered ground shall comply with applicable NPDES permit requirements pursuant to the Act and also shall comply with the following requirements:

a.Snow-covered ground. During the period beginning December 21 and ending April 1, a person may apply liquid manure originating from a manure storage structure that is part of a confinement feeding operation on snow-covered ground only when there is an emergency.

b.Frozen ground. During the period beginning February 1 and ending April 1, a person may apply liquid manure originating from a manure storage structure that is part of a confinement feeding operation on frozen ground only when there is an emergency.

c.What constitutes an emergency. For the purposes of this subrule, an emergency application is only allowed when there is an immediate need to apply manure to comply with the manure retention requirement of subrule 65.100(1) due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the storage of the liquid manure. The unforeseen circumstances must be beyond the control of the owner of the confinement feeding operation, including but not limited to natural disaster, unusual weather conditions, or equipment or structural failure. The authorization to apply liquid manure pursuant to this subrule does not apply to either of the following:

(1) An immediate need to apply manure in order to comply with the manure retention requirement of subrule 65.100(1) caused by the improper design or management of the manure storage structure, including but not limited to a failure to properly account for the volume of the manure to be stored. Based on the restrictions described in paragraphs 65.101(3)"a" and "b" and the possibility that the ground could be snow-covered and frozen for the entire period of December 21 to April 1, an operation should not plan to apply liquid manure during that time period. Confinement feeding operations with manure storage structures constructed after May 26, 2009, and without alternatives to manure application must have sufficient storage capacity to retain manure generated from December 21 to April 1 under normal circumstances in order to properly account for the volume of manure to be stored. For confinement feeding operations that have no manure storage structures constructed after May 26, 2009, the department will accept insufficient manure storage capacity as a reason for emergency application in the notification required in subrule 65.101(3).

(2) Liquid manure originating from a confinement feeding operation constructed or expanded on or after July 1, 2009, if the confinement feeding operation has a capacity to store manure for less than 180 days.

d.Procedure for emergency application. A person who is authorized to apply liquid manure on snow-covered ground or frozen ground when there is an emergency shall comply with all of the following:

(1) The person must notify the appropriate department field office by telephone prior to the application. The department will not consider the notification complete unless the owner's name, facility name, facility ID number, reason for emergency application, application date, estimated number of gallons of manure to be applied, and application fields as listed in the MMP are given. In cases where the emergency is not easily confirmed by weather reports, the owner must make documentation of the emergency available to the field office upon request.

(2) The liquid manure must be applied on land identified for such application in the current MMP maintained by the owner of the confinement feeding operation as required in subrule 65.111(7). The land must be identified in the current MMP prior to the application, and that change must also be reflected in the next annual update or complete MMP submitted to the department and county boards of supervisors following the application as required in paragraph 65.110(3)"b."

(3) The liquid manure must be applied on a field with a phosphorus index rating of 2 or less.

(4) Any surface water drain tile intake that is on land in the owner's MMP and located downgradient of the application must be temporarily blocked beginning not later than the time that the liquid manure is first applied and ending not earlier than two weeks after the completion of the application.

(5) Additional measures to contain runoff may be necessary in order to prevent violation of federal effluent standards in subrule 62.4(12).

e.Exceptions. Paragraphs 65.101(3)"a" through "d" do not apply to any of the following:

(1) The application of liquid manure originating from a SAFO.

(2) The application of liquid manure injected or incorporated into the soil on the same date.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 567-65.101

ARC 8120B, IAB 9/9/09, effective 10/14/09; ARC 8998B, IAB 8/11/10, effective 9/15/10

Amended by IAB September 17, 2014/Volume XXXVII, Number 6, effective 10/22/2014

Amended by IAB November 9, 2016/Volume XXXIX, Number 10, effective 12/14/2016

Adopted by IAB May 15, 2024/Volume XLVI, Number 24, effective 6/19/2024