Crow River E. Coli Reduction Through Feedlot Compliance

The Wright Soil and Water Conservation District (Wright SWCD) has partnered with the Crow River Organization of Waters (CROW), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Wright County Planning and Zoning on this bacterial impairment reduction project to bring feedlot operations into compliance in the targeted North Fork Crow River (NFCR) impaired Unnamed Creek watershed. An analysis of the NFCR TMDL for Bacteria, Nutrients, and Turbidity was done to determine the area to be prioritized for further review of livestock operations in order to reduce the E. coli levels to meet the state standard. The largest operations, those over 250 animal units were reviewed for compliance and found that one facility within the E. coli impaired watershed was non-compliant. A preliminary plan has been drafted by NRCS engineers that will bring this feedlot into compliance and allow them move from daily hauling and land applying manure to strategic application by incorporating a manure lagoon into the plan.