Impact from a cattle waste lagoon rupture on a downstream fish farm: a case study

Authors

  • Ana De la Torre CISA-INIA, Madrid, Spain
  • Lucas Domínguez Department of Animal Production I, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
  • Miguel González CISA-INIA, Madrid, Spain
  • Sonia Aguayo Department of Animal Production I, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
  • Matilde Carballo CISA-INIA, Madrid, Spain
  • María Jesús Muñoz CISA-INIA, Madrid, Spain

Keywords:

diagnose, rainbow trout kill, ammonia, suspended solids, non ionised ammonia, animal waste

Abstract

A retrospective diagnosis of a massive fish mortality in an aquaculture facility was performed following a cattle waste effluent spill to a river used as source for the fish farm. The level of suspended solids and non-ionised ammonia (NH3) reaching the farm were estimated based on concentrations in the animal waste and the dilution factor in the river. The calculations indicate that both concentrations were higher in the fish farm after the leakage than the lethal concentrations reported in water quality criteria for freshwater fish. Therefore, these calculations tie the cattle waste leakage to the fish kills observed.

References

ALABASTER, JS & R LLOYD. 1980. Water quality criteria for freshwater fish. Butterworth & Co. Londres.

AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION; AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION & WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FEDERATION. 1992. Métodos normalizados para el análisis de aguas potables y residuales. Díaz de Santos. Madrid.

BURKHOLDER, JM; MA MALLIN; HB GLASGOW; JLM LARSEN; MR MCIVER ET AL. 1997. Impacts to a coastal river and estuary from rupture of a large swine waste holding lagoon. J. Environ. Qual. 26:1451-1466.

COSTELO, MJ & JC GAMBLE. 1992. Effects of sewage sludge on marine fish embryos and larvae. Mar. Environ. Res. 33:49-74.

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 2002. The Government’s strategic review of diffuse water pollution from agriculture in England. Agriculture and water: a diffuse pollution review. URL: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/dwpa/reports/pdf/dwpa01-b.pdf

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 2003. Strategic review of diffuse water pollution from agriculture. DEFRA. Londres.

DÍEZ, JA; A DE LA TORRE; MC CARTAGENA; M CARBALLO; A VALLEJO ET AL. 2001. Slurry application to a crop experimental field. Agronomic and ecotoxicological approaches. J. Environ. Qual. 30:2165-2172.

DÍEZ, JA; A VALLEJO; S AGUAYO & MJ MUÑOZ. 2003. Claves agronómicas para la aplicación de purines de cerdo respetando el medio ambiente. Porci 77:39-53.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION. 1978. European Council directive of 18 July 1978 on the quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life. Council Directive 78/659/EEC. Council of the European Communities Official Journal L 222:1-10.

LIANG, Y & MH WONG. 2000. Reclamation of wastewater for polyculture of freshwater fish: bioassays using Chlorella and Gambussia. Arch. Environ. Con. Tox. 39:506-514.

MALLIN, MA. 2000. Impacts of industrial animal production on rivers and estuaries. Am. Sci. 88:26-37.

MASON, CF. 2002. Biology of freshwater pollution. 4ta edn. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River.

MONGE, E; M FERRER & F ORÚS. 2001. Análisis físico-químico de estiércoles fluidos. I: materia orgánica y estimación del humus aportado. Anaporc 209:88-99.

NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITIES. 1990. Water pollution from farm waste. Survey of reported water pollution incidents caused by farm wastes in England and Wales. The Stationary Office, Environmental Agency. Londres.

NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL FEDERATION. 1996. An environmental solution. Special report on recommendations of the 1996. NCCF. Newport.

PÉREZ DE GREGORIO, JJ; JL VALVERDE; F LHOEST; H BUENO; ML LÓPEZ ET AL. 2003. La gestión de los purines y su incidencia jurídico-penal. Porci 77:11-20.

SOTO-GALERA, E; J PAULO-MAYA; E LÓPEZ-LÓPEZ; JA SERNA-HERNÁNDEZ & J LYONS. 1999. Change in fish fauna as indicator of aquatic ecosystem condition in Rio Grande de Morelia-Lago de Cuitzeo Basin, Mexico. Environ. Manage. 24:133-140.

TARAZONA, JV; MJ MUÑOZ; JA ORTIZ; O NUÑEZ & J CAMARGO. 1987. Fish mortality due to acute ammonia exposure. Aquacult. Fish Manage. 18:167-172.

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. 1986. Water quality criteria for freshwater fish. U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington DC.

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. 1998. Environmental impacts of animal feeding operations. U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington DC.

Downloads

Published

2004-12-01

How to Cite

De la Torre, A., Domínguez, L., González, M., Aguayo, S., Carballo, M., & Muñoz, M. J. (2004). Impact from a cattle waste lagoon rupture on a downstream fish farm: a case study. Ecología Austral, 14(2), 135–139. Retrieved from https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1486

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2004)

Section

Articles

License

Authors retain their rights as follows: 1) by granting the journal the right to its first publication, and 2) by registering the published article with a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which allows authors and third parties to view and use it as long as they clearly mention its origin (citation or reference, including authorship and first publication in this journal). Authors can make other non-exclusive distribution agreements as long as they clearly indicate their origin and are encouraged to widely share and disseminate the published version of their work.