Okeechobee Dairy Best Available Technologies (BATs) Project

Funded by South Florida

The purpose of the Dairy Best Available Technology project was to identify, select, monitor, and oversee the implementation of best available technologies (BATs) that will significantly reduce the export of phosphorus (P) from dairy operations into Lake Okeechobee and its tributaries. The project goal statement provides a clear and unambiguous target for success:

This project will result in the unbiased identification, selection, implementation, and monitoring of Best Available Technologies (BATs) that will significantly reduce P export from dairy operations into Lake Okeechobee and its tributaries and bring about the most substantial improvements in water quality in the shortest amount of time possible, while minimizing project costs and detrimental socio-economic impacts to the local region.

The selection of the best available technologies was implemented through a decision-making process called value modeling. The value model provides a logical process to rank technologies.

Project Team:  SWET (Prime), Mock Roos & Associates, Inc., CH2M HILL, and ENTEL Companies, Inc.

The project included a detailed literature review of available technologies, ranking and selection process for participating dairies, selection of design firms, public workshops, design and construction oversight, system monitoring, and final system evaluation. Four separate engineering consulting firms were selected to complete the design and construction of stormwater retention / edge-of-farm chemical treatment systems on four separate dairies. The conceptual design of the systems is shown in this schematic. Three of the systems have been completed and put into service as of June, 2004. The fourth system will be completed during 2005.