Sara M. Smith

Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2006

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Abstract

Vegetated treatment systems (VTS) are currently being analyzed (as of July 2006) as a viable alternative to holding ponds to treat runoff from cattle feedlots. In South Dakota, five VTS's are being implemented for research. A computer model was used to simulate the performance of these five VTS's and compare them to results from a holding pond model. Bulk density, % clay and % sand in the soil used for simulations affects the amount of nutrient and solids release, but changes of permanent wilting point, available water content, nitrogen content, carbon content, and hydraulic conductivity resulted in little change of simulated release. At one site, zero release was simulated from both the VTS Model and the ELG Model. The simulated VTS released 1077 m3 and 509 m3 more water than the simulated holding pond at each of two sites for 17 years of weather data. Two sites had 7300 m3 and 4209 m3 more water released from a simulated holding pond than from a simulated VTS. Pipe size for sediment basin release, treatment area length and width, and soil type are some of the factors affecting release of water and nutrients. In simulations of one year at one site, reducing the sediment basin outlet pipe size from 203 mm to 127 mm to 114 mm reduced the simulated VTS release from 878 m3 to 127 m3 to O m3. The Vegetated Treatment Area with the largest size releases the least amount of nutrients and solids. This was shown using simulations of one year at one site.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Feedlot runoff -- Management -- Computer simulation

Agricultural wastes -- Management -- Computer simulation

Feedlot runoff -- South Dakota -- Management

Agricultural wastes -- South Dakota -- Management

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

123

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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