Find this content useful? Share it with your friends!

Photo of a natural wetland, courtesy NRCS

Horse farms and facilities need to manage stormwater runoff to prevent soil erosion, protect nearby streams and other water bodies from pollution and siltation, and help prevent flooding. Impervious (water doesn’t pass through) surfaces such as roofs, roadways, parking lots and heavily compacted pasture soils can contribute heavily to runoff speed, with pollutants carried downhill to a water body.

Eventually, that unfiltered water will enter your drinking water source.

For stormwater or wastewater treatment on horse facilities, wetlands can be a less expensive alternative than some other methods. Restroom waste can be directed to wetlands which can provide an ecologically sound and economical treatment. Wetland systems can be very effective in catching and treating runoff from manure storage areas, barns and heavily used pastures.

In addition, wetlands provide important habitat and an appealing element to the overall landscape, adding visually and functionally to the open space that the community values.

Read full article here.