DATCP Publishes Technical Standard for DNR Regional Manure Spreading Restrictions on Silurian Bedrock Areas

 

 

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), in collaboration with the Wisconsin Standards Oversight Council (SOC), has published a technical standard for verifying depth to bedrock. The standard provides support for the implementation of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) targeted performance standard for Silurian bedrock within 20-feet of the soil’s surface. This includes the following counties: Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.

Silurian bedrock areas are sensitive to potential groundwater contamination due to the type of soil and bedrock, and depth to the bedrock. Statewide maps are available to show areas of Silurian bedrock and approximate depth of soil over the bedrock. The standard provides producers with a procedure to verify the depth to bedrock on their affected land.

“For crop and livestock producers who fall under the requirements of this rule, this technical standard provides science-based methods for confirming the accuracy of depth to bedrock in these areas,” said Sara Walling, DATCP’s Agricultural Resource Management Division Administrator.

The technical standard is available at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/DepthToBedrockStandard.aspx.

This is the first technical standard DATCP has published through the SOC process. A team of experts developed the standard to include science-based methods for determining depth to bedrock while considering accuracy, cost, equipment availability, and necessary qualifications to perform the verification process. The standard went through an extensive review process with an initial group of experts and then a public review period. For more information about team members, meetings information, reviewer feedback, and resources, visit https://socwisconsin.org/current-work/full-process/01-verification-of-land-features/.

SOC is an inter-agency collaboration that facilitates a team approach in developing and maintaining technical standards for soil and water conservation practices in Wisconsin. For more information on the council and its 25 years of service, visit https://socwisconsin.org/. The council includes representatives from cooperating agencies and organizations in the state who are involved with developing technical standards and the delivery of soil and water conservation programs.

For more information, contact the following:

• DATCP technical standard: DATCP Bureau of Land and Water Resources conservation engineering at datcplandwater@wisconsin.gov
• DNR targeted performance standard for Silurian bedrock: Joe Baeten, DNR basin supervisor for runoff management in northeast Wisconsin at baeten@wisconsin.gov