HomeMy WebLinkAboutDWQ-2024-007369STATEMENT OF BASISGROUND WATER DISCHARGE PERMITUGW010008Smithfield Foods, Inc. – Blue Mountain Complex Farms Beaver CountyMilford, UtahOctober 2024
Introduction
The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) under the authority of the Utah Ground Water Quality Protection Rules(Ground Water Rules) issues ground water discharge permits to facilities which
have a potential to discharge contaminants to ground water. As defined by the Ground Water Rules, such facilities includeAgriculturaloperations.The Ground Water Rules are based on an
anti-degradation strategy for ground water protection as opposed to non-degradation; therefore, discharge of contaminants to ground water may be allowed provided that current and future
beneficial uses of the ground water are not impaired and the other requirements of Rule 317-6-6.4.A are met. Following this strategy, ground water is divided into classes based on its
quality; and higher-quality ground water is given greater protection due to the greater potential for beneficial uses.
Under Rule 317-6, Smithfield Foods, Inc. has requested a ground water discharge permit renewal (Permit) for the Blue Mountain Farm Complex in Beaver County. DWQ has developed permit
conditions consistent with R317-6 and appropriate to the nature of the operations, maintenance, best available technology (BAT), and the hydrogeologic and climatic conditions of the
site, to insure that the operation would not contaminate ground water. Basis for Permit RenewalThis Permit is being renewed in accordance with R317-6-6.7. However, a permit may be terminated
or a renewal denied if any one of the four items in R317-6-6.8 applies:Noncompliance by the permittee with any condition of the Permit where the permittee has failed to take appropriate
action in a timely manner to remedy the Permit violation;The permittee’s failure in the application or during the Permit approval process to disclose fully all significant relevant facts
at any time;A determination that the permitted facility endangers human health or the environment and can only be regulated to acceptable levels by plan modification or termination;
orThe permittee requests termination of the Permit.
Purpose
Smithfield Hog Production’s groundwater discharge permit for the Blue Mountain BeaverCounty Farm Complex (UGW010008) is being renewed for a five-year permit term. Smithfield Hog Production
operates swine production facilities in Beaver and Iron Counties southwest of Milford, Utah. Manure from each of the swine production facilities is drained into an associated anaerobic
lagoon system for treatment and storage. The lagoon systems at the farm sites consist of at least one primary lagoon and one containment basin for evaporation. The primary lagoons
and the containment basins are each compacted to at least 90 percent of maximum dry density and lined with at least a 40-mil high density polyethylene (HDPE) flexible membrane liner
(FML).Smithfield Hog Production has also constructed collection basins adjacent to some of the existing lagoon systems.Table 1 below provides a summary of the Smithfield Hog Production
permitted facilities for the Blue Mountain Beaver County Farm Complex. Table 1: Summary of Smithfield Hog ProductionGround Water Discharge PermitPermit No.Complex/CountyFacility TypeFarm
Nos.Total Farm SitesUGW010008Blue Mountain /BeaverFinisher Farms42301- 4230842315, 4231610
Hydrogeology
The Milford basin lies in southwestern Utah, and comprises a 3,004 km2 area in the Basin and Range physiographic province. The mountain ranges adjacent to the basin are bounded by normal
faults and have large coalescing alluvial fans extending into the valley. The principal water-yielding aquifer is a basin-fill aquifer. Sediments that make up the basin-fill aquifer
are late Tertiary to Quaternary age and consist of multiple discontinuous layers of silt, sand, and gravel separated by less permeable layers of clay and silt. The basin-fill deposits
are at least 270 m thick in the basin center and thin toward the margins (Van der Hoven, 2001).
Ground Water Quality
Ground Water Class and Protection LevelsBased on ground water quality data from historical site-specific monitoring wells, the ground water quality beneath farm sites 42301, 42302, 42303,
42304, 42305, 42306, 42307, 42308, and 42315isClass 1A Pristine Ground Water. The ground water quality beneath farm site42316 is Class III Limited Use ground water quality. Protection
levels for each farm site are summarized in Appendix I of Permit UGW010008.
As required in Part I.E.5.(c) of the permit, a background monitoring program has been completed by the permittee to collect data for calculating well-specific background ground water
quality statistics. This includes background ground water concentrations for total dissolved solids, chloride, bicarbonate, nitrate + nitrite as nitrogen, ammonia as nitrogen, and pH,
all of which have been defined for the purposes of determining the applicable protection levels. Most wells have more than a 10-year monitoring history. Protection levels for all farms
were evaluated for this permit issuance.
Class IA Protection Levels.In accordance with UAC R317-6-4.2, Class IA ground water will be protected to the extent feasible from degradation due to facilities that discharge or would
probably discharge to ground water.
Class II Protection Levels.In accordance with UAC R317-6-4.5, Class II ground water will be protected for use as drinking water or other similar beneficial use with conventional treatment
prior to use.
Class III Protection Levels.In accordance with UAC R317-6-4.6, Class III ground water will be protected as a potential source of drinking water after substantial treatment, and as a
source of water for industry and agriculture.
Class IV Protection Levels.In accordance with UAC R317-6-4.7, Protection levels for Class IV ground water will be established to protect human health and the environment.
Long term ground water elevation monitoring indicates a steady decline in the water table elevation over the last several years. Some monitoring wells with a small water column purge
to dry conditions, which can affect the quality of the water sample.
Compliance Monitoring Program
A ground water monitoring well system has been installed at each of the lagoon systems for the purpose of establishing the ground water gradient at each farm site and to monitor the
ground water quality both upgradient and downgradient in the uppermost water-bearing zone under the lagoons. Ground water is sampled and analyzed semi-annually for the term of the permit.
The following key leakage parameters were selected for compliance monitoring based on their high concentrations in the process water compared to concentrations in shallow ground water:
Bicarbonate
Nitrate+ nitrite as N
Chloride
Total Dissolved Solids
Field parameters collected for each groundwater sampling event include: pH, specific conductance, and temperature. This list of ground water monitoring parameters may be updated in the
most recently revised and approved version of the Smithfield Hog Production Sampling and Analysis Plan.
Regulatory decisions made as a result of ground water monitoring must take into account the background variability of ground water quality at the sites. Smithfield Hog Production will
not be required to take corrective action if it can be verified that changes in ground water quality are a result of other factors not related to their operations.
Best Available Technology (BAT)
The administration of this permit is founded on the use of best available treatment technology, in accordance with the requirements of UAC R317-6-1.3.
All of thefarm sites,with the exception of farm sites 42302 and 42303, each have one primary lagoon and onecontainment basin for evaporation. During construction, the primary lagoons
and containment basins werecompacted to a minimum of 90 percent maximum dry density (ASTM D698) and lined with at least a 40-mil synthetic high-density polyethylene (HDPE) FML. The
coefficient of permeability for 40-mil HDPE is 2.7 x 10-13 cm/sec (Haxo and Lahey, 1988)2. The constructed depth and maximum operating depth of the primary lagoons and containment basins
at each farm site are included in the construction permits and construction permit applications.
Farm sites 42302 and 42303 utilize a common manure treatment system that treats combined waste from the two farm sites. The system consists of three primary lagoons, a concrete processing
pad for each farm site, and two shared containment basins. Treated water discharged from the primary lagoons is contained in the containmentbasins (EVAP-1 and EVAP-2). When EVAP-1 is
full, liquid waste overflows to EVAP-2.
The lagoon systemsaresized to accept up to 1.8 cubic feet of volume per live animal weight (LAW) in the primary lagoon for finisher farms and provide enough surface area for evaporation
of water in the containment basin. The primary lagoons at each farm site are designed to operate as anaerobic waste treatment lagoons in which liquid and solid swine waste flushed from
the pits under the animal containment barns is digested primarily by anaerobic bacteria in the treatment volume of the lagoon and sludge accumulates in the underlying sludge volume.
These design specifications require the establishment and maintenance of a properly balanced bacterial population, which is realized through the proper operation, and management of the
anaerobic lagoons. Proper operation and management of anaerobic lagoons will also optimize volatile solids digestion and prevent excessive sludge build up extending the effective life
of the lagoon before sludge removal is required. Only wastes from the hog-raising operations may be treated in the lagoons. The design, operational, and contingency requirements detailed
above represent Best Available Technology since the implementation of these requirements is expected to be protective of ground water resources in the area surrounding the facility.
Currently 0 of 10farm sites are in operation for this permit.Each site has at least one primary lagoon where manure solids are collected. It may benecessary to remove accumulated solids
from the bottom of each primary lagoon at the farm sites so that treatment zones are maintained. Sludge storage volume is engineered for approximately 20 years of accumulation. Sludge
accumulation is measured and reported.Smithfield Hog Production has implemented a program to remove the solids from the lagoons and dry the manure on a drying pad constructed near the
lagoon. The manure is a nutrient source and the drying of the manure will allow the nutrients to be sold and applied to local cropland at agronomic rates. Drying pad construction will
follow the engineering design approved by a licensed Professional Engineer with the Utah Division of Water Quality.Potential Impacts to Ground Water
Leakage from liners can cause degradation of the ground water at the permitted sites. Potential impacts to ground water can be minimized by employing best available technology and discharge
minimization technology for the lagoons. BAT performance monitoring, treatment technology, and compliance monitoring wells are used toensure that the facility is operated in accordance
with design specifications and will also ensure that any early indications of facility problems will be detected.
Liner repairs in the primary or evaporative lagoon have been made at farms 42301 and 42305. Based on hydrogeological tests to determine the rate of groundwater velocity in the Blue
Mountain Beaver area, improvements in ground water quality measured at downgradient monitoring wells require several years following repairs. These farms are considered compliant even
though a monitoring well may have analytical results exceeding a protection level for that farm. Statistical trend analysis is used for an appropriate period of time that allows for
a natural decrease in elevated target parameters. If no decrease is observed, further Corrective Action may be warranted.
Major Permit Changes
The Compliance Monitoring requirements in Part 1, Section E.5.bof Permit UGW010008 were modified to account for the presence of dormant farm sites.
Compliance ScheduleThere are no outstanding compliance items at the time of this permit issuance for UGW010008.
Permit Application Documents
Applicable Smithfield Hog Production Operations Documents for this permit include but are not limited to:
Anaerobic Lagoon Systems Operation and Maintenance Manual (rev. 2015)
Spill Prevention and Response Manual (rev. 2015)
Sludge Disposal and Farm Closure Plan (rev. 2015)
Nutrient Management Plan for Land Application (rev. 2015)
Smithfield Hog Production Sampling and Analysis Plan (rev. 2015)
Manure Drying Program Plan (rev. 2013)
References:
ASAE, 1999. American National Standards Institute/American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ANSI/ASAE) Engineering Practice EP403.3 Jul99, Design of Anaerobic Lagoons for Animal Waste
Managementpp 6. Retrieved on January 30, 2019 fromhttp://agrienvarchive.ca/bioenergy/download/anaerobic_lagoons_asae_ep403.3.pdf
ASAE, 2012. American National Standards Institute/American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ANSI/ASAE) Engineering Practice EP379.5 APR2012, Management of Manure Odorspp 7. Retrieved
on January 30, 2019 fromhttps://elibrary.asabe.org/azdez.asp?JID=2&AID=41359&CID=s2000&T=2
Haxo, H.E., and Lahey, T.P., 1988. Transport of Dissolved Organics from Dilute Aqueous Solutions Through Flexible Membrane Liners, Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials, 1988, 5,
275-294.
Miller, R. and Major, J., 2013. Lagoon Startup and Maintenance for Optimal Livestock Waste Treatment. Utah State Cooperative Extension: Logan, UT. Retrieved on January 30, 2019 from
https://extension.usu.edu/agwastemanagement/ou-files/pdfs/Lagoon_Startup_and_Maintenance_2013.pdf
NRCS, 2009. Chapter 13 Operation, Maintenance, and Safety In L. Owens, S. Self, W. Pierce (Eds.), Part 651 Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook (pp. 57). Washington D.C.. Retrieved
on January 30, 2019 from https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/wntsc/AWM/handbook/ch13.pdf
Van der Hoven, S.J. 2001. Determination of Groundwater Transport Rates, Annual Recharge, and Sources of Microbial Contamination in the Milford Basin, Utah. Department of Geography-Geology,
IllinoisStateUniversity