. Agri-news. Agriculture. Phone: (403) 427-2121 July 6,1992 Dirty dugouts require more than chemicals Farmers should tackle the actual problem, and not just the symptoms, of poor quality dugout water says an Alberta Agriculture specialist. During this time of the year when water quality in many surface water sources begins to deteriorate, many farmers get concerned about the effects of poor quality on human health, animal health and production says Bob Buchanan, regional engineering technologist based in Barrhead. "While expensive water treatment systems can correct the symptoms of poor q
. Agri-news. Agriculture. Phone: (403) 427-2121 July 6,1992 Dirty dugouts require more than chemicals Farmers should tackle the actual problem, and not just the symptoms, of poor quality dugout water says an Alberta Agriculture specialist. During this time of the year when water quality in many surface water sources begins to deteriorate, many farmers get concerned about the effects of poor quality on human health, animal health and production says Bob Buchanan, regional engineering technologist based in Barrhead. "While expensive water treatment systems can correct the symptoms of poor quality dugout water, it's also important to look at the problem and year round prevention techniques," Buchanan adds. Taste, odor and color problems in dugout water appear obvious when floating algae and weeds can be seen in a dugout. However, these are only signs of a problem and not the problem itself. Continual build-up of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) and silt in farm dugouts from spring and summer run off causes tremendous growth of algae and weeds. Heavy summer rains are especially destructive. "Occasionally run off water from these storms looks like mud soup, and one run off like this can destroy a farm dugout. The nutrients in the run off cause algae and weeds to grow. The plant material decomposes and the water quality deteriorates further. You might say the water changes from mud soup to pea soup," he says. As tempting as it may be to use a chemical controls, preventative measures to improve dugout water quality should come first. These preventative techniques include sedimentation controls, pumping systems and aeration. To start, proper dugout construction helps to minimize algae, and especially weed problems. Deeper dugouts with steeper end slopes will reduce both weed and algae growth. A system of run off controls such as dikes, ditches, gated culverts and grassed waterways all help to allow only the best water into the dugout notes Buchanan.
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