MADISON, WI — A farmer's mistake of using liquid manure for fertilization on frozen ground has lead to a runoff of the fertilizer into surface waters during a recent thaw, and may also prompt future laws against such practices, the Associated Press (AP) reported yesterday in The Janesville Gazette.
Nearly a half-million gallons of liquid manure washed off the farm's field into two streams that flow into Lake Mendota, the article said. The farmer's name could not be released to the media, because the incident is still under investigation.
The state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported this week that there have already been five manure-related incidents this year and it is suspected they were caused by the winter-spreading of fertilizer, the article said.
Those incidents resulted in two fish kills in southern Wisconsin streams, the release of 480,000 gallons of manure into Dorn Creek and the contamination of private drinking water wells in Dodge County, DNR officials told the AP.
Spreading liquid manure onto frozen farm fields is legal, but efforts are under way in parts of the state to prohibit the practice, the AP reported.
Every month in Water Technology Magazine, "Professor POU/POE" answers reader questions about point-of-use/point-of-entry water treatment.
If you have a question for the Professor (also known as David Bauman, Technical Editor), send an e-mail to rdipaolo@ntpmedia.com and we'll pass it along. With your question, please indicate your general location (region, state, province, etc.). Not all questions will be chosen for publication.
Write for WT
Water Technology welcomes and encourages editorial contributions from the world of residential water conditioning, bottled water delivery, and treatment for commercial or light industrial applications.
To place a classified ad online, e-mail your ad text to pharrington@ntpmedia.com or call Pat Harrington at 518-640-9173.
Bookstore
WaterTechBooks.com is an online bookseller for the water treatment industry. It has dozens of titles in stock, in a variety of categories. A simple e-commerce platform allows you to complete your transaction online and have your books shipped directly to your home or business.
Every month in 
