Your Dairy Effluent WoF

As part of the WOF assessment any bridges and culverts on farm are assessed to see if there is any overland flow off them to the waterway. They are also assessed on the frequency that they are used on farm as infrequent use lowers their risk and the risk of effluent reaching waterways.

The assessor will also look at the storage facilities integrity to see if there are any issues that could arise. This involves assessing the banks and construction to see if there is any slumping or holes in the banks of the facility.

When the WOF is carried out by the certified assessor they will look at any farm drains to see if there is any risk of effluent reaching the drain from applications or infrastructure.

This component looks at any feed pad on farm and whether is appropriately lined, sealed, and contained. It also assesses if there is any risk of effluent reaching a waterway.

This component looks at any housed facility on farm and whether is appropriately lined, sealed, and contained. It also assesses if there is any risk of effluent reaching a waterway.

As part of the WOF assessment any tracks and races are assessed to see if there is any overland flow present. This is assessed to see if there is a risk of effluent reaching waterways and if there are any mitigation practices in place.

The assessor will look at the pipes and hydrants of the effluent irrigation system to check for leaks or discharge and if that discharge could potentially reach a waterway.

In this component the assessor will look for signs of poor irrigation such as previous ponding or overland flow or signs the effluent may have previously reached a waterway.

The assessor will look at the pipes and hydrants of the effluent irrigation system to check for leaks or discharge and if that discharge could potentially reach a waterway.

If an irrigation depth rule is in place from the Regional Council, the WOF assessor will check if the irrigation depth applied meets the corresponding rule. They will also check the irrigation depth against the soil risk on farm to see if appropriate depths are being applied to avoid ponding or overland flow.

This component looks at the farms nutrient budget to see if the block that effluent is applied too is large enough to meet industry good practise of no more than 150kgN/ha/year.

The WOF assessor will look at any relevant resource consents from the regional council if required in the region. They will assess the farms consent conditions against the WOF assessment to ensure the farmer is not breaching any conditions.

The WOF assessor will observe if there are appropriate safety systems around the farms effluent storage such as fencing, ladders, and signage. This is not part of the risk assessment but should provide farmers with good practice.

This component looked at the containment of effluent on the cowshed’s concrete and if it can lead to ponding or discharge to water.

If solids are separated in the farm effluent system and assessor will look at the spreading of these solids to see if they are applied evenly, at an appropriate depth for the nutrient content of the solids, and that there is no risk of the solids reaching a waterway.

If there is solid separation on farm the assessor will assess if the solids are stored on a sealed, contained surface and if there is any discharge from the solids to water. The assessor will also base this risk on the size of the effluent solids present.

This component looks at any stand-off pad on farm and whether it's appropriately lined, sealed, and contained. It also assesses if there is any risk of effluent reaching a waterway.

This component assesses the removal of the stone trap solids and if it is stored on a suitable, sealed and contained surface before it is spread on the farm. This also looks at the risk if this reaching waterways.

As part of the WOF assessment a storage calculation will be completed to assess if the farm has enough storage according to the ‘Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator’. This component looks at the amount of storage on farm and if it is adequate for the farm system.

This component assesses the likelihood that the storage facility is sealed to a standard that prevents any leakage to groundwater. This assessment is based on the information provided to the WOF assessor and their own knowledge and experience.

This looks at the containment of effluent in the cowshed sump, if it is sealed and if the sump has overflowed in the past.

This component looks at the discharge from underpasses and if it is applied to land appropriately or if there is risk that the discharge could reach a waterway. They are also assessed on the frequency that they are used on farm as infrequent use lowers their risk and the risk of effluent reaching waterways.