Soil, Manure, and Water
Sampling and Analysis
Leticia S. Sonon
Ag and Env Services Laboratories
March 31, 2009
Agenda

Manure testing
• Sample collection
• Tests to request
• Reports
Lagoon sample

Soil testing
• Sample collection
• Tests to request
• Reports

Groundwater
monitoring
Soil sampler
Why Test Soil and Manure?

Know the soil fertility status

Know the fertilizer value of the manure
These are the basics for Comprehensive Nutrient
Management Planning (CNMP) and Waste
Utilization.
Manure Testing

When?
 Near to the time of application as possible
 >1000 animal units (AU) – semi-annual
 >3000 AU - quarterly for swine operations

How?
 Depends on the type of manure and manure
handling system
 Procedures differ for lagoon effluent, liquid slurry,
lagoon sludge, and solid manure.
Lagoon Effluent
Semiannually for operations over 1000 au
Quarterly for swine operations over 3000 au




Collect what you intend to pump
for crop irrigation; no mixing of
the lagoon.
Where possible, collect effluent
from the spray-system at the
point of application.
Grab eight 1-pint samples
throughout a spray-irrigation
event and composite into a
plastic bucket.
Mix bucket contents and fill a 1pint bottle for lab analysis.
Lagoon Effluent (continued)





When samples cannot be taken from the spraysystem, collect 8 grab samples at least 6 feet from
the lagoon bank and at a depth of about 1 foot or
whatever would represent the material pumped for
irrigation.
Avoid floating debris.
Never use galvanized buckets.
Tightly cap the manure sample bottles and check for
leaks.
Rinse or wipe off any manure from the outside of the
container.
Alternative Lagoon Effluent Sampler
plastic tubing
float
steel pipe
thrown into lagoon
sample collection using a suction pump
suction pump
suction reservoir
Liquid Slurry

If you agitate your
storage pond or lagoon,
samples can be
collected with the
equipment and
procedure used for
lagoon effluent.

If you don’t agitate, use
the composite sampling
device illustrated here.
Composite Sampling Device
Lagoon Sludge (two methods)
Method One


Method Two

Pump lagoon down to
the sludge layer.

Agitate and collect a
slurry-type sample

using the liquid sampler
described for sampling
lagoon effluent or slurry.

You will need a boat or
floating dock.
Insert a pipe to the
bottom of the lagoon.
Seal the surface end
and extract the pipe
from the lagoon.
Deposit the sludge
portion into a bucket.
Composite 12-20 subsamples from various
locations around the
lagoon.
Handling Liquid Manure Samples



Container
 Clean 1-pint plastic wide-mouth bottle
 NO GLASS
Filling
 Leave 1-inch headspace for gas
expansion and to facilitate mixing at the
laboratory.
Storage
 Preferably ship or deliver samples
immediately after sampling.
 However, refrigerate or freeze samples
that cannot be immediately shipped or
delivered to the laboratory.
Solid Manure
Stockpiled, Surface-scraped, or Composted



Solid Manure Sampling Device

Composite at least 6 or
more cores that
represent the average
moisture content.
Core samples to a
depth of at least 18
inches.
Sub-sample a 1-quart
portion into a plasticbag for the lab. Don’t
overfill.
Refrigerate if samples
are stored for more than
2 days.
Sampling In-house Litter
Previous sampling recommendation:
Collect at least 10 to 12 one pint samples throughout
the house, combine and mix them in a plastic
bucket, and place one quart into a plastic bag for
submission to the laboratory.
Research on N content shows that…
Center of
the house
Around the
feeders
Around the
drinkers
%
Average
Minimum
Maximum
3.31
2.83
3.68
4.41
4.15
4.75
3.49
2.35
4.50
 Around feeders, N was 25% higher than from center of
the house and 21% higher than from around drinkers
(30 samples)
 N varied as much as 48% around drinkers
Therefore…

It is not recommended to sample litter while still
being used as a bedding layer in the poultry
house.

Wait until clean out to sample after mixing the
litter by scraping it into a pile. Then, follow the
procedure given below for sampling litter from
piles, stockpiles, or spreader trucks.

If sampling of litter is necessary in the house
prior to clean out, use the sampling procedures
as originally provided.
Solid Manure: Tests to Request
Essential



Total nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Other Tests










Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sodium (Na)
Sulfur (S)
Aluminum (Al)
Iron (Fe)
Boron (B)
Copper (Cu)
Manganese (Mn)
Zinc (Zn)
Liquid Manure Test
(Lagoon Effluent)
for Nutrient Management and Reg. Compliance
Non-swine and swine except new and expanding swine
operations over 3000 AU
•
Nutrients listed for solid manure
In Addition
•
•
•
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN)
Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N)
Ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N)- not
required on your permit but good for
predicting available nitrogen
Liquid Manure Test
(Lagoon Effluent)
for new and expanding swine operations
over 3000 AU
Quarterly Monitoring






5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)
Ammonia-Nitrogen (NH4-N)
Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-N)
pH
Nitrogen Analysis


Total Nitrogen by Combustion for Solids
 All forms of Nitrogen
 Organic-N
 Ammonium-N
 Nitrate + Nitrite-N
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen for Liquids
 Only Organic-N + Ammonia-N
 Total-N is TKN + NO3
Lagoon sample
Litter sample
Solid Manure Report

Units provided on UGA reports are
 Percent
 Pounds per ton

Phosphorus and potassium are reported as
 P2O5 (P2O5 divided by 2.29 = P)
 K2O (K2O divided by 1.20 = K)

All concentrations are reported on an “as received” basis
and not on a “dry matter” basis.
Solid
Manure
Report
Litter Broiler
%
lbs/ton
Liquid Manure Report

Units provided on UGA reports are
Parts per million (ppm)
 Pounds per 1000 gallons
 Pounds per acre inch


Phosphorus and potassium reported as
P2O5 (P2O5 divided by 2.29 = P)
 K2O (K2O divided by 1.20 = K)

Liquid
Manure
Report
Lagoon - Dairy
ppm
lbs/1000 gal
lbs/acre-inch
Soil Testing

When?
 Annually
 Fall is a good time, but samples can
be taken during any season.
 For year to year comparisons it is
best to sample at approximately the
same time each year.
Where to Soil Sample



Divide large fields
according to obviously
different:
 soil types
 management
 drainage
 crop productivity
 slope
 erosion.
Collect separate
samples from these
smaller areas.
Composite 10 to 20 soil
cores while traveling in
a zigzag pattern.
How to Collect Soil



Sample depth
 plowed fields
 6 inches
 or plow depth
 no-till or pastures
 4 inches
Composite 10 to 20
cores in a plastic bucket
and mix well.
Fill a 1-pint soil test bag
that has been clearly
labeled with the field
identification and the
area within that field
that this sample
represents.
Basic Soil Test







Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Zinc (Zn)
pH
Lime requirement
Soil Nitrogen

Tests for residual soil nitrogen are usually not able to
reliably predict available soil nitrogen and crop
response.

Therefore, recommended nitrogen amendments are
based on long-term research conducted to determine
the nitrogen rates that produce the optimum yield for
specific crops and forages.
Soil Extractants




Mehlich I (P, K, cations, micronutrients)
 Georgia and other Southeastern States
Mehlich III (P, K, cations, micronutrients)
 many other labs
Bray-1 (P only)
 older extractant may still be used by some labs
Olsens (P only)
 used by Western States on calcarious soils
Soil Test Reports
(Not a P Index)



Soil test results are concentrations of nutrients that
are extracted from your soil using extractants
designed to measure various forms of each nutrient.
These concentrations are know as “Soil Test
Indices.”
These “Soil Test Indices” are correlated to crop or
forage yield and then calibrated using fertilizer trials
so that they can be converted into a pounds per acre
fertilizer recommendation.
Soil Fertility Recommendations



Nitrogen is based on forage or crop species
and management.
P and K are based on “Soil Test Indices”.
Recommended N, P, and K may be supplied
from either
 Commercial fertilizer
 Animal manure
 Lagoon effluent
 Green manure crops
 Or a combination of sources.
Test Questions?
Questions





Why is manure tested for developing a CNMP?
When should manures be sampled for lab
analysis?
How should manure be sampled?
How do you calculate the rate of manure to
apply?
Why should soil be tested when developing a
CNMP?
Questions
How should soil samples be taken in the
field?
 Which nutrients are measured in the
routine soil test?
 Which nutrients are of primary
environmental concern and why?

Monitoring Well
Testing
Who must do groundwater
Monitoring?

Animal feeding operations over 1000
animal units
Agenda
Well location
 Well construction
 Monitoring requirements
 Sampling and analysis
 Guidance documents

Locating Wells

Up-gradient wells



Up-gradient monitoring
is not required in the
swine or non-swine
rules
But, a minimum of
three wells are needed
to determine the
gradient of the
groundwater
In many cases the
groundwater gradient
will follow the slope of
the land surface, but
not always

Down-gradient
wells



At least 25 feet from
the outer downgradient edge (toe) of
the lagoon or manure
storage structure
Should not be
installed into fill
material
Into the shallowest
saturated zone that is
 the first saturated
water bearing unit
 saturated yearround
Stay Away From:
Septic tanks – 50 ft
 Leach Fields – 100 ft
 Dead animal burial pits – 150 ft
 Animal or fowl enclosure – 100 ft
 Pesticide storage, mixing, or loading –
100 ft
 Fertilizer storage – 100 ft
 Petroleum storage – 100 ft

Using Existing Wells

Must be in the water bearing unit influenced by the
lagoon or spray field
 If used for a down-gradient well it must be
immediately down-gradient of the water bearing
unit influenced by the lagoon or spray field.

Must be approved by the Georgia EPD
Well Construction



Details are in EPD’s Manual for Groundwater
Monitoring.
Must be installed by a licensed well driller that is
supervised by a licensed geologist or professional
engineer
Following installation you should have:
 well log
 land surface contour map
Monitoring Requirements
(Except new and expanding swine operations over
3000AU)
Parameter
Frequency
Tolerance
Nitrate-N
(mg-N/L)
Twice/Year
10
Holding
Times
14 days
Total Kjeldahl-N
(mg TKN/L)
Twice/Year
-
28 days
Depth to
Groundwater (not
required)
Twice/Year
-
On-site
New and expanding swine operations
over 3000 AU
Parameter
Frequency
Tolerance
Holding
Time
Specific
Conductance
Quarterly
-
On-site
Nitrate-N
Quarterly
10 mg/L
28 days
pH
Quarterly
1 pH unit
change
On-site
Depth to
Groundwater
Quarterly
-
On-site
Written Sampling Plan




Procedures for
sample collection
Sample preparation
and collection
Analytical
procedures
Chain-of-custody
Sampling Procedure


Measure water
depth.
Purge well
 bail dry
 or bail three well
volumes.
Sampling Procedure (continued)


Allow well to
recover.
Collect sample for
 TKN
 nitrate-N.
Guidance Documents




Manual for Groundwater Monitoring.
Monitoring Well Construction for Hazardous-Waste
Sites in Georgia
Rules and Regulations for Water Quality Control
The Water Well Standards Act of 1991
Locating These Documents




These documents can be found at the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Contact: Thomas E. Hopkins, 4220
International Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30354.
Phone: (404) 362-4916 or (404) 362-2680
Email: Tom_Hopkins@dnr.mail.state.ga.us
Test Questions?
Questions



What monitoring parameters are required by the
Animal Feeding Operations Permit on lagoon
effluent and groundwater?
How frequently must wells be sampled?
What well monitoring parameter needs to be
determined on-site?
Questions



Where is the proper location for the monitoring well?
Who is responsible for constructing the monitoring
wells?
How many wells are required to determine the
groundwater gradient?