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By Mike Barnett
Editor
A dairy demonstration project aimed at addressing water quality concerns in the North Bosque River watershed was unveiled at the Keith Broumley dairy farm near Hico with a ribbon cutting ceremony June 13.
Called the Bosque River Dairy Waste Reduction Demonstration Project, the system is the only dairy digester in the nation that combines technologies to lower phosphorus levels and improve water quality, while also providing a new energy source.
The cutting edge technology was initiated and developed in cooperation between agricultural producers, private organizations, industry and government to address concerns expressed by the City of Waco over high phosphorus levels city officials claim come from dairy runoff, that they say contribute to algae buildup in Lake Waco, causing the city's water supply to have bad odor and taste.
"We are a family farm. We're four generations. We love it here. We want to stay here. We've had a lot of dairies in this watershed that have picked up and left because of the environmental problems that we have faced and the issues that we have faced and the lawsuits we have faced," Broumley said, referring to a number of lawsuits filed by the City of Waco against dairymen in the region. "Lawsuits don't solve anything. This is something that is going to solve a problem."
Phil Ford, general manager and chief executive officer of the Brazos River Authority, the agency charged with overall management of the project, said the digester had been in the works for several years. He credited Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for making a vision a reality.
"These two organizations believed in this project from the inception, Ford said. "They worked diligently to keep the project going when it appeared that funding was going to fall short. And it's through their efforts that other partners came on board and worked together to make this happen."
Texas Farm Bureau Vice President Lloyd Arthur explained the state's largest farm organization's interest in the project, noting that sustainable agriculture is not sustainable if the economics aren't there.
"Sustainability of the land, the water, and the air is important to agricultural stewards of the land," he said. "The sometimes forgotten component of sustainable agriculture is the economic factor. When economic sustainability is achieved, the environmental goals are much easier to reach."
Arthur also noted the importance of the dairy industry and all of agriculture to the economy of Central Texas.
"Agriculture is a common theme in the rich history of Waco and Central Texas," he said. "Waco is the home to Texas Farm Bureau. We intend to be involved in positive solutions that will preserve the dairy industry in Central Texas, protect the interests of dairy families and ensure that a high quality environment will always be a part of life here in the `Heart' of Texas."
Funding from the digester came from a number of sources, including Region 6 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Brazos River Authority (BRA), Texas Commission on Environmental Policy (TCEQ), USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS), The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Altria Group.
In-kind contributions came from dairyman Keith Broumley, Texas Farm Bureau, United Cooperative Services, and the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) at Tarleton State University. Cascade Earth Sciences (CES) of Albany, Ore., is serving as the primary engineering/design firm with Leonard Water Services of Abilene as the lead construction firm.
"This project goes further to address environmental concerns than any initative in the watershed," said state Sen. Kip Averitt (R-McGregor). "If we are successful, this project will provide dual environmental benefits by improving both air and water quality. It will provide a new source of renewable energy, and it will do so in a way that respects and recognizes industry investment in the region."
The digester project is designed to process both solid and liquid dairy waste in a multi-step process that reduces phosphorus, and produces electricity and compost.
Through a contract with United Cooperative Services, a rural electric cooperative in Cascade Earth Sciences in Cleburne, the electricity generated will provide a credit for the Broumley Farm electric service billing. United's board of directors and Brazos Electric agreed to subsidize the project for two years as an investment for the potential benefit of the cooperative membership.
Compost sales, outside the watershed, will be part of the ongoing TCEQ composting program.
Design standards for the phosphorus removal portion of the facility are targeting an 80 percent reduction in phosphorus content for the treated wastewater.
The Brazos River Authority is managing the project in close cooperation with the numerous agencies involved. Plans are to closely monitor performance of the system, both economically as well as for the whole-farm impact on phosphorus use and export from the dairy.
A major intent of the project is to provide a laboratory for testing the combined technologies and providing much needed environmental and economic data for addressing water quality issues in the watershed. The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research will oversee the monitoring and economic performance evaluation.
"This pilot project is truly government working at its best at all levels," said BRA's Phil Ford. "The ability to provide cooperation between the private and public sectors—from local representatives to regulators, and federal and state legislators—this project will provide insight into a viable solution to improving our watershed."
