A Vegetative Treatment System (VTS) is a combination of treatment steps for managing runoff. It treats runoff by settling, infiltrating, and nutrient usage. Individual components of a VTS include, a settling structure, an outlet structure, a distribution system, and a Vegetative Treatment Area (VTA). All these components when used together are considered to be a Vegetative Treatment System.

Introduction

A Vegetative Treatment System (VTS) is a new alternative treatment option for treating the runoff from an

animal feeding operation The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines an animal feeding operation (AFO) in the Code of Federal Regulations In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the g ...

in an effort to protect water quality in

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

(SD). A VTS consists of a

sediment basin A sediment basin is a temporary pond built on a construction site to capture eroded or disturbed soil that is washed off during rain storms, and protect the water quality of a nearby stream, river, lake, or bay. The sediment-laden soil settles i ...

to settle the solids from the feedlot, and uses controlled release of the liquids to a vegetated treatment area (VTA). The VTA area is commonly confused with vegetative buffer (or filter) strips. A

buffer strip A buffer strip is an area of land maintained in permanent vegetation that helps to control air quality, soil quality, and water quality, along with other environmental problems, dealing primarily on land that is used in agriculture. Buffer stri ...

is a narrow strip of vegetation (usually 30–60 feet wide) between cropland or a water source, such as a

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

, or

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...

. In contrast, a VTA is a specifically sized area of

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

vegetation to which runoff from a barnyard or

feedlot A feedlot or feed yard is a type of animal feeding operation (AFO) which is used in intensive animal farming, notably beef cattle, but also swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens or ducks, prior to slaughter. Large beef feedlots are called conc ...

is applied uniformly. The VTA utilizes the water holding capacity of the soil to store the runoff water until the nutrients and water can be used by the vegetation. Therefore, the application of the runoff to the VTA must be at a rate to prevent deep percolation below the root zone, and not allow the flow to extend past the end of the VTA. A VTS can be an economical alternative to runoff retention (holding) ponds for controlling runoff from an open lot feeding production system (

s). A Vegetative Treatment Area (VTA) is an area of perennial vegetation, such as a grass or a forage. The VTA is used to treat runoff from a feedlot or barnyard. It treats runoff by settling, infiltration, and nutrient use. Runoff passes through buffers with some “filtering” of pollutants, but no attempt is made to control solids or flow. A VTS, however, collects runoff from a barnyard or feedlot, separates the solids from the liquids, and uniformly distributes the liquid over the vegetated area. Little or no runoff should leave a VTA. Runoff is first collected from an open lot or barnyard area in a

sediment Sediment is a solid material that is transported to a new location where it is deposited. It occurs naturally and, through the processes of weathering and erosion, is broken down and subsequently sediment transport, transported by the action of ...

settling structure, usually a basin. Such basins are very effective for removing most solids. The runoff then flows into a VTA where the soil treats and stores the runoff. Once the runoff is in the soil, natural processes allow plants to use the nutrients. The general idea behind VTS technology is that the plants will take up the nutrients contained in the runoff and that natural processes will eliminate undesirable components such as pathogens. There are many different types of VTA’s such as level, infiltration basins, sloped, sprinkler, dual and multiple systems, etc. A Vegetative Treatment System can be used to manage runoff from open lots of both AFOs and CAFOs. VTS systems for large CAFOs can be permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ( NPDES) in the US.

Advantages

* May provide lower initial investment and operating costs * More aesthetically palatable than large ponds * No long-term storage of runoff required, such as holding or evaporation ponds * Fewer safety issues * Land designated for VTA can produce usable forage

Disadvantages

* A VTA may not be a “closed” system; * Saturated soils from previous rains could allow a discharge * Special management required during runoff events * The VTAs can be damaged by a lack of maintenance and attention - gullies, erosion, and poor vegetation stands dramatically reduce their effectiveness * Not currently permittable in SD by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources * The VTAs may not provide the same level of water quality improvement as a total runoff containment system, such as holding or evaporation ponds provide

References

Introduction to Vegetative Treatment Systems

Need a Vegetative Treatment System for Your Barnyard or Lot?
a Small Farms Fact Sheet from the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center

External links

Introduction to Vegetative Treatment Systems

VTS guidance document
from the Heartland Regional Water Coordination Initiative
Animal Feeding Operation Information
from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln {{DEFAULTSORT:Vegetative Treatment System Environmental soil science Hydrology