RURAL
– INTENSIVE LAND USES 2 – Mt Lofty example
See
pigs
See
broilers
Local
councils are concerned with the environmental effect of intensive
land uses. This is particularly important in water catchment areas
and near towns and cities.
CASE
STUDY ENVRIONMENTAL CONTROLS ON THE MOUNT LOFTY RANGES WATERSHED –
SA
BROADACRE
FARMING
Broadacre
farming activities, essentially the growing of crops, are acceptable
as long as they do not affect water quality. This should not occur if
the land and management practices are of a high standard.
Horticulture,
including market gardens and orchards, is acceptable provided that
the land is suitable and the activity is well managed, so that there
are no problems with soil erosion or excessive use of any
agricultural chemicals.
Careful
consideration should be given to the establishment of any new
horticultural areas to ensure that the land cultivated is not
excessively steep and is sufficiently removed from any watercourse to
avoid problems of accelerated erosion and direct runoff into streams.
NON
INTENSIVE STOCK GRAZING
Non-intensive
stock grazing is acceptable as long as care is taken to prevent
overgrazing which can result in erosion. Also, stock shelters
have
to be properly managed to prevent localised erosion and manure
accumulation.
DAIRIES
New
dairies are not permitted in Watershed Zone 1. They may be permitted
in Zone 2, subject to conditions about the locations of milking
sheds, yards, etc, and the management of waste. Written applications
for a permit must be made to the Engineering and Water Supply
Department.
Existing
dairies are permitted to continue. However, approval must be obtained
to rebuild, extend or modify any dairy, or to relocate a dairy within
Zone 1. Owners of existing dairies are encouraged to adopt good
management practices, paying particular attention to the location of
structures and to the disposal of wastes. Regulation 37.3 of the
Waterworks Act describes the responsibilities of dairy farmers.
KENNELS,
POULTRY FARMS STOCKYARDS
The
Waterworks Act Regulations apply to:
- Kennels that
are used for 3 or more dogs
- Poultry sheds
in which more than 24 birds are kept
No
new kennels, poultry farms or stockyards are permitted in Zone 1.
They may be permitted in Zone 2, subject to conditions about the
location of structures and the management of waste. Existing dog
kennels, poultry farms and stockyards will be allowed to remain.
However, approval must be obtained to rebuild, extend or modify
them
or to relocate them within Zone 1.
Owners
of existing dog kennels, poultry farms or stockyards are encouraged
to adopt good management practices, paying particular attention to
the location of structures and to the disposal of wastes. Regulation
37.3 of the Waterworks Act describes the responsibilities of owners.
STABLES
The
Waterworks Act applies to stables housing two or more horses. New
stables can not be established in Watershed Zone 1, but may be
allowed in Zone 2. Written applications for a permit must be made to
the Engineering and Water Supply Department. Permits may be issued,
subject to conditions about the location of structures and the
management of waste.
Existing
stables are permitted to continue but approval must be obtained to
rebuild, extend or modify any stables, or to relocate stables within
Zone 1. The following conditions also have to be met:
- Sufficient land
must be available to accommodate the number of horses which are, or
will be stabled, whether on a permanent or part-time basis, or whether
wastes are removed from the property or not.
- The Engineering
and Water Supply Department recommends I hectare of suitable land with
improved pasture for each animal. In assessing the suitability of land,
consideration is given to its topography, proximity to a watercourse,
and susceptibility to flooding.
The
entire area of land required for the stables, as described above,
must be secured on the same title as the land on which the stable
buildings are located. Leased land will not be considered as a
secured parcel of land.
The
adoption of good management practices, with particular emphasis on
the location of structures and the management of waste, is
encouraged. Regulation 37.3 of the Waterworks Act describes the
responsibilities of owners.
PIGGERlES,
FEEDLOTS, ZOOS
The
Waterworks Act applies to:
- Piggeries in
which one or more pigs are kept
- Feedlots where
sheep, cattle or other stock or animals are fed by a method other than
natural grazing.
- New piggeries,
feedlots and zoos are not permitted in the Watershed.
- Existing
piggeries, feedlots and zoos are allowed to continue, but approval must
be obtained to rebuild, extend or modify them, or to relocate them
elsewhere in a Watershed.
The
owners of existing piggeries, feedlots and zoos are encouraged to
adopt good management practices, with particular attention given to
the location of structures and the management of waste. Regulation
37.2 of the Waterworks Act describes the responsibilities of owners.
FARM
DAMS
A
permit must be obtained from the Engineering and Water Suppl
Department before any dam which will obstruct the free flow of water
in a stream or watercourse in the Watershed is constructed.
Regulation 37.4 of the Waterworks Act describes the responsibilities
of owners.
RUBBISH
DUMPS
New
rubbish dumps should not be established in the Watershed, and in
addition, badly sited or poorly managed dumps already operating
should be closed. Where closures are impractical, the risk of water
pollution will be kept to a minimum by placing conditions on the
management of the dumps.
SEPTIC
TANK INSTALLATION
The
design and selection of the wastewater disposal system should be
considered at the planning stage of any development. Particular
consideration must be given to site conditions of the property, such
as slope, soil type, and proximity to a watercourse. Information on
the suitability of a particular site for a septic tank and soakage
drains can
be
obtained from the South Australian Health Commission. Some of the
requirements applying in the Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed are:
- Domestic wastes
should not be disposed of within 50 metres of any stream or
watercourse. In the case of septic tank soakage drains, these must be
located in such a manner that no portion of the soakage field is less
than 50 metres from a stream or watercourse.
- No domestic
waste should be disposed of within 50 metres of any well, bore or
spring that is used as a domestic or stock water supply.
- A diversion
trench should be installed to keep surface and subsurface water out of
the effluent disposal area.
All
septic tank systems must be approved by the South Australian Health
Commission. Should a site be considered unsuitable for a septic tank
and soakage drains, alternative waste disposal methods should be
discussed with the local council health surveyor.
QUARRYING
AND MINING
Quarrying
and mining operations may be permitted, on condition that any
associated operations do not result in a deterioration of water
quality. Regulation 37.5 describes the responsibility of operators.
RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES
Existing
recreational activities within the Watershed can continue, providing
that all wastes are collected and disposed of in an approved manner.
RESERVOIR
RESERVES
Reservoir
reserves are not open to the public except at established lookout
points. The reserves around reservoirs generally provide buffer
zones
at least 0.8 km wide (to high water level).
DEFINITIONS
UNDER THE WATERWORKS ACT REGULATIONS
FEEDLOT
means any building, enclosure, yard or structure on any land upon or
within which cattle, sheep or any other stock or animals whatsoever,
are held, confined or kept and are usually fed either wholly or
partly, by a feeding method other than natural grazing.
PIGGERY
means any building, enclosure, yard or structure on any land upon or
within which one or more pigs are kept or run, whether temporarily or
permanently.
ZOO
means any building, enclosure, yard or structure on any land upon or
within which any animals, birds, reptiles or any creatures whatsoever
are kept primarily for the purpose of display or exhibition,
irrespective of whether any charge is made or payment required for
such display or exhibition.
COWSHED
and COW YARD means any structure or collection of structures used for
the holding or milking of dairy cows.
DOG
KENNEL means any structure or collection of structures used for the
confinement and feeding of three or more dogs.
POULTRY
SHED and POULTRY YARD means any structure or collection of structures
within which twenty-four or more fowls, geese, ducks and turkeys are
kept.
STABLE
means any structure or collection of structures used wholly or partly
for the confinement and feeding of two or more horses.
STOCKYARDS
means any structures for the confinement and feeding of stock but
does not include any structure used from time to time solely for
loading or veterinary purposes.
EXAMPLE
– DAIRIES
Water
used to wash down milking sheds and associated yard areas should not
be allowed to enter surface watercourses and/or underground water
aquifers. For the purpose of these guidelines "surface
watercourses" include natural wetlands and manmade channels that
drain into creeks, rivers or natural wetlands.
MILKING
SHED AND YARD CLEANING
- The volume of
wastewater generated in the milking shed and associated yard area
should be minimised.
- Wastewater
management systems must be designed to treat and/or dispose of the
estimated annual volume of wastewater generated at an individual
milking shed. This volume should be estimated following measurement of
washdown water flow rates and consideration of any stormwater runoff
that can not be excluded from the wastewater management system.
The
entire milking herd should be confined on a concrete surface which
drains to the wastewater management system, until all milking has
been completed.
LAGOON
SYSTEMS
Single
storage lagoons should not be used for managing washdown from milking
sheds where more than 150 cows are milked daily. Lagoons should be
located at least 200m from neighbouring houses in order to minimise
potential odour problems.
Where
a lagoon(s) is built on a hillside or in any other situation where
surface runoff may enter the lagoon or damage the banks, clean
surface runoff from surrounding areas must be diverted away from the
lagoon. Diversion banks should be capable of diverting runoff from a
one hour rainfall event with an average recurrence interval of 1 in
25 years.
A
freeboard of at least 0.6 metres must be provided above the maximum
water depth. Despite the exclusion of surface runoff from adjacent
areas, emergency spillways should be incorporated into the design of
lagoons to protect them from possible damage caused by severe storms.
Lagoons
must be desludged on a regular basis. Sludge should be removed prior
to sludge levels reaching 2/3 of the normal lagoon depth.
Milking
shed washdown water must not be stored in on-stream farm dams that
can overflow on an occasional basis.
IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS
Milking
shed washdown water must not be irrigated onto land within 100m of a
watercourse during the months of May to October inclusive. At other
times of the year milking shed washdown water should not be irrigated
within 50m of a watercourse. In addition, milking shed washdown water
should not be applied to steeply sloping land (greater than 1 in 4
slope), waterlogged soils, or land where vegetation cover is sparse.
Sprinklers
used to irrigate milking shed washdown water onto pasture or fodder
crops must be moved on a regular basis. During wet times of the year
(May to October) the rate of waste, water application should be less
than the water infiltration capacity of the soil to avoid surface
runoff of wastewater. At other times of the year wastewater should be
applied to pasture or fodder crop at a rate which will utilise the
nutrients as efficiently as possible.
Where
a pump is used as part of a continuous wastewater disposal system,
sumps should be designed to provide at least 2 days' holding capacity
for milking shed washdown water, or some other alternative method
should be in place for containing washdown water in case of
mechanical breakdown or a back-up pump not being available.
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