Winter Application Requirements for Liquid Manure

Dane County requires permits for application of liquid manure on frozen, snow-covered, or ice-covered cropland. The requirements are found in s. 14.18 Dane County Code of Ordinances. Additional information on these and other manure management requirements are found on the Dane County Land Conservation Division page. For winter application permit information, refer to the Liquid Manure Winter Application Fact Sheet found there.

The liquid manure requirements were the consensus recommendations of the Dane County Manure Spreading Task Force, established after two liquid manure runoff incidents in February 2005.

In early February 2005, liquid manure applied on frozen ground washed into Dorn Creek flowing into Lake Mendota. The farmer had applied liquid manure before a major thaw. There were no fish killed as a result of this incident; however, DNR estimated that significant amounts of phosphorus were added to Lake Mendota at a time when efforts to limit phosphorus runoff from rural and urban areas were increasing.

In late February 2005, manure running off a frozen farm field killed approximately 200 brown trout in the West Branch of the Sugar River, a stream that had just been removed in October from the federal government's list of impaired waters. On March 16, 2005, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and Chair of the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission Brett Hulsey announced the establishment of a task force to evaluate the risks associated with winter spreading of manure, especially liquid manure, and to recommend winter spreading restrictions in order to protect County rivers, streams, fisheries, and farm economy. Dane County Manure Spreading Task Force members included farmers, environmental interests, and County Board Supervisors.

The Task Force met six times in April and May 2005. Meeting minutes and agendas are posted on the Dane County Minutes and Agendas page .

The final Task Force report established the need for additional restrictions on land spreading of liquid manure during the winter months in order to ensure compliance with water quality standards in Dane County's lakes, rivers, and streams. This report also recognized the economic importance and value of livestock agriculture in Dane County, and sought to balance the needs of the livestock industry with Dane County's economic and recreational interest in clean water.