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ISBN 0 7559 1224 1 (Web only publication)

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Contents

Executive summary
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction
2 Context
3 Woodchip corrals: operation and construction
4 Site selection and description

5 Experimental design
5.1 Installation at site SW1
5.2 Challenges of instrumentation

6 Sampling protocol and analysis procedures
6.1 Sampling regime
6.2 Microbiological analysis methods
6.3 Chemical analysis methods

7 Results
7.1 Dataset description.
7.2 Rainfall results
7.3 Corral liquid flux results
7.4 Nutrient results
7.5 Faecal indicator organism results
7.6 Nutrients relationships with outflow
7.7 Calculating nutrient normalised load and nutrient total load
7.8 FIO relationships with outflow
7.9 Summary results
7.10 Comparative results
7.11 Variations in results

8 Modelling
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Concepts of the logical model
8.3 Description of the model
8.4 Mass balance
8.5 Configuration of the model
8.6 Modelling results
8.7 Model limitations
8.7.1 Logical limitations
8.7.2 Herd characteristics and feed regime
8.7.3 Faecal and urine input locations

9 Discussion
9.1 General discussion
9.2 Addressing the aims
9.3 Extended discussion

10 Further research requirements

11 Interpretations for the policy community

References

Appendices

Appendix A1 Chemical Concentrations (chemographs)
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix A2 Chemical Fluxes
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix A3 Chemical Fluxes - Cattle Off
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix A4 Chemical Fluxes -Cattle On
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix A5 Chemical Fluxes ( flux chemographs)
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2

Appendix B1 Bacterial Concentrations (bacteriographs)
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix B2 Bacterial Flux - All data
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix B3 Bacterial Fluxes - Cattle Off
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix B4 Bacterial Fluxes - Cattle On
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2
Appendix B5 Bacterial fluxes
Site SW1
Site SW2
Site NE1
Site NE2

Appendix C

List of Figures and Tables

Figure 3.1 A commercial chipper
Figure 3.2 A corral nearing completion

Figure 4.1 Map of the sites selected for instrumentation.
Figure 4.2 Diagram of site SW1.
Figure 4.3 Diagram of site SW2.
Figure 4.4 Diagram of site NE1.
Figure 4.5 Diagram of site NE2.

Figure 5.1 A cleared corral.
Figure 5.2 A timber frame in place.
Figure 5.3 Geo-membrane in place.
Figure 5.4 Replacing the woodchips.
Figure 5.5 Instrumentation of new build corrals.
Figure 5.6 Instrumentation of new build corrals.
Figure 5.7 Schematic diagram of an instrumented site.
Figure 5.8 Installation at site SW1.
Figure 5.9 Instrument pod showing auto-sampler and the modified rain gauge flow measurement systems.
Figure 5.10 Instrument pod with tipping bucket flow measurement systems.

Figure 7.1 Chart showing the monthly rainfall totals for the four monitored corral sites.
Figure 7.2 Site SW2 all records - total nitrogen chemograph.
Figure 7.3 Site SW2 all records - ammonium-N chemograph.
Figure 7.4 Site SW2 all records - TON-N chemograph.
Figure 7.5 Site SW2 all records - nitrite-N chemograph.
Figure 7.6 Site SW2 all records - total phosphorus chemograph.
Figure 7.7 Site SW2 all records - phosphate-P chemograph.
Figure 7.8 Site SW2 all records - DOC chemograph.
Figure 7.9 Site SW2 all records - pH.
Figure 7.10 Site SW2 all data - Total nitrogen flux against sample date.
Figure 7.11 Site SW2 all data - total nitrogen concentration vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.12 Site SW2 'cattle on' period - total nitrogen concentration vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.13 Site SW2 'cattle off' period - total nitrogen concentration vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.14 Site SW2 all data - total nitrogen flux vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.15 Site SW2 'cattle on' period - total nitrogen flux vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.16 Site SW2 'cattle off' period - total nitrogen flux vs. measured flowrate.
Figure 7.17 Site SW2 total coliform ( TC) concentration against sample date for all samples.
Figure 7.18 Site SW2 Escherichia coli ( EC) concentration against date for all samples.
Figure 7.19 Site SW2 intestinal enterococci ( IE) concentrations against sample date.
Figure 7.20 Site SW2 total coliform ( TC) recorded fluxes against time.
Figure 7.21 Site SW2 recorded Escherichia coli ( EC) fluxes against sample date.
Figure 7.22 Site SW2 recorded intestinal enterococci ( IE) fluxes against sample date.
Figure 7.23 Site SW2 total coliform ( TC) concentration against measured flowrate.
Figure 7.24 Site SW2 all data - total coliform ( TC) fluxes against flowrate.
Figure 7.25 Site SW2 'cattle on' period - total coliform ( TC) fluxes against flowrate.
Figure 7.26 Site SW2 'cattle off' period - total coliform ( TC) fluxes against measured flowrate.
Figure 7.27 Comparison of ammonium-N to Edwards et al. (2003)
Figure 7.28 Comparison of nitrite-N to Edwards et al. (2003)
Figure 7.29 Comparison of nitrate-N to Edwards et al. (2003)
Figure 7.30 Comparison of phosphate-P to Edwards et al. (2003)
Figure 7.31 Comparison of total nitrogen to other farm yard wastes.
Figure 7.32 Comparison of phosphate-P to other farm yard wastes.
Figure 7.33 Comparison of FIO concentrations to other agricultural sources.

Figure 8.1 The logical model.

Figure 9.1 Corral profile

Table 4.1 Characteristics of the selected sites.

Table 5.1 Instrumentation challenges and responses.

Table 6.1 Chemical analysis methods.
Table 6.2 Loop sample analysis of NH4 - N. A comparison of difference in NH4 - N concentrations in pairs of samples taken at the same time and then analysed immediately and at the end of a sampling loop.
Table 6.3 Mean nutrient concentrations of filtered and unfiltered analysis of 19 samples from site SW1.
Table 6.4 Mean nutrient concentrations of filtered and unfiltered analysis of 17 samples from site SW2.

Table 7.1 Sampling information.
Table 7.2 Monthly rainfall totals.
Table 7.3 Summary flow information - 'cattle on' period.
Table 7.4 Summary flow information - 'cattle off' period.
Table 7.5 Summary chemistry information - 'cattle on' period.
Table 7.6 Summary chemistry information - 'cattle off' period.
Table 7.7FIO geometric mean concentrations.
Table 7.8FIO flux data - 'cattle on' period.
Table 7.9FIO flux data - 'cattle off' period.
Table 7.10 Total nitrogen flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.11 Ammonium (NH4- N) flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.12 TON flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.13 Nitrite flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.14 Total phosphorus flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.15 Phosphate flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.16DOC flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.17 Total coliforms ( TC) flux predicted by flowrate
Table 7.18Escherichia coli ( EC) flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.19 Intestinal enterococci ( IE) flux predicted by flowrate.
Table 7.20 Daily concentration and outflow averages over study period.
Table 7.21 Daily average load information over study period.
Table 7.22 Site SW1 'cattle on' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.23 Site SW2 'cattle on' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.24 Site NE1 'cattle on' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.25 Site NE2 'cattle on' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.26 Site SW1 'cattle off' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.27 Site SW2 'cattle off' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.28 Site NE1 'cattle off' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.29 Site NE2 'cattle off' period nutrient concentration ranges.
Table 7.30 Site SW1 'cattle on' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.31 Site SW2 'cattle on' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.32 Site NE1 'cattle on' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.33 Site NE2 'cattle on' period normalised nutrient flux ranges
Table 7.34 Site SW1 'cattle off' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.35 Site SW2 'cattle off' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.36 Site NE1 'cattle off' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.37 Site NE2 'cattle off' period normalised nutrient flux ranges.
Table 7.38FIO concentration ranges for the 'cattle on' period.
Table 7.39FIO concentration ranges for the 'cattle off' period.
Table 7.40FIO flux ranges for the 'cattle on' period.
Table 7.41FIO flux ranges for the 'cattle off' period.

Table 8.1 Effluent outflow (m3 effluent) for a 1000 m2 corral for a range of corral depth and stocking densities using 100 days of rain data from 1 Jan 2004.
Table 8.2 Days of outflow for a 1000 m ² corral for a range of corral depth and stocking densities using 100 days of rain data from 1 Jan 2004.

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