Getting Lagoon lined

[J Magee]

Good Morning All,

I will be up front an say I do run a company that lines lagoons. (Agri Environmental Group Ltd)

I am not here to do the 'hard sell', but just get an idea from farmers on what they think about getting there lagoons lined. It has now become clear that the time line for getting all slurry and digestate stores lined and covered is going to be 2027. However for some parts of the industry it will be sooner. Plus the latest word is that there will be no grant given from 2025 on wards. We are not sure yet when grant will start, (thank you Brexit) but devolved governments, DEFRA and Natural England are looking at past grant schemes to plan best way forward.

Is getting your slurry/digestate lagoon lined in your plans for the come years?

Regards

James

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Could you please point out the legislation that is requiring all lagoons to be lined.

 

[J Magee]

Could you please point out the legislation that is requiring all lagoons to be lined.

Dear Luke,

In answer to your question the current law is "Statutory Instruments 2010 No 639 Water England (SSAFO) Silage, slurry and Agricultural Fuel oil Reg 2010"

Recommendations are CIRIA report C759 A and B (but B gives the most useful information)

Both work to British Standard Institute BS 5502-50:1993 + A2 : 2010

I hope that helps.

Regards

James

 

[Bramble]

Do existing clay lined lagoons need to be lined with plastic? One is 40 years old, the other is 6 years old and dug with EA approval

 

[Blue.]

Do existing clay lined lagoons need to be lined with plastic? One is 40 years old, the other is 6 years old and dug with EA approval

Probably not.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Dear Luke,

In answer to your question the current law is "Statutory Instruments 2010 No 639 Water England (SSAFO) Silage, slurry and Agricultural Fuel oil Reg 2010"

Recommendations are CIRIA report C759 A and B (but B gives the most useful information)

Both work to British Standard Institute BS 5502-50:1993 + A2 : 2010

I hope that helps.

Regards

James

Lining with clay, assuming a satisfactory lab test for impermeability has been carried out is sufficient to meet this requirement.

 

[J Magee]

Do existing clay lined lagoons need to be lined with plastic? One is 40 years old, the other is 6 years old and dug with EA approval

Dear Bramble,

This is a good question and has hits on a sore point across the country.

* So Scottish government will NOT give grant on clay lined lagoons.
* EA are increasingly nervous about clay lined lagoons due to the amount of issues they have faced over the past few years with them. It now very much comes down to your local EA officer.
* Your 6 year old clay lined lagoon should be fine.
*Your 40 year old lagoon I am sure the EA/SEPA will ask for testing to be done.
*Any lagoon liner (clay included) beyond its 20 year life design should get tested.

I hope this helps, if you have any more questions please do drop me a line at [email protected]

Regards

James

 

[J Magee]

Lining with clay, assuming a satisfactory lab test for impermeability has been carried out is sufficient to meet this requirement.

Hi Luke,

Please see my response to 'Bramble", it covers your question as well.

I would say there are many factor involved when looking at lining a lagoon. If you are happy to line with clay I guess it comes down to do you have to a source of suitable clay near by? The haulage costs of clay often make a liner a more cost effective and liners are easier and quicker to install.

Regards

James

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Any lagoon lined with over 1M of impermeable clay has to preferable to a sheet of clingfilm that tears the 1st time the stirrer is dropped in.

 

[J Magee]

Any lagoon lined with over 1M of impermeable clay has to preferable to a sheet of clingfilm that tears the 1st time the stirrer is dropped in.

Hi Luke,

Sounds like you or some one you know has had a bad time with a liner.

What I would say is it all comes down to how the lagoon is designed. There must be proper mixing points put in with concrete pad at the base of the mixing point for the mixer to sit on. It is also good practice if you are mixing with a tractor and PTO mixer that the design of the mixing point is such that as the tractor reverses on the the stop plate in the very same position each time. This should ensure the mixer mixes from the same point each time and not side or drop onto the liner.

Also I always recommend that impellers on mixer are within a cage or bull horn system.

Regards

James

 

[bigw]

I think it might be easier to sell the cows!

 

[J Magee]

I think it might be easier to sell the cows!

Well BigW that is one way of looking at it but I hope farmers out there don't think it will be that bad getting lagoon lined and covered.

regards

James

 

[bigw]

We have a 60m x 30m lagoon and 20m x 20m concrete tank that would need covering. The concrete tank could be turned into a slatted shed reasonably cost effectively but the lagoon would cost a fair bit.

 

[J Magee]

We have a 60m x 30m lagoon and 20m x 20m concrete tank that would need covering. The concrete tank could be turned into a slatted shed reasonably cost effectively but the lagoon would cost a fair bit.

Dear Bigw

If you like I can put together an estimate for both lagoon and tank so you have some options. Just drop me an email with your address so I can work out haulage and let me know the depth of lagoon and height of tank.

[email protected]

Regards

James

 

[pine_guy]

Assume all these lagoons for guys bedding on sand will need to be concrete lined to enable them to be cleaned out with Macinery. ?

 

[davidroberts30]

yp

Dear Bigw

If you like I can put together an estimate for both lagoon and tank so you have some options. Just drop me an email with your address so I can work out haulage and let me know the depth of lagoon and height of tank.

[email protected]

Regards

James

Typical price for a 40m x 10m x 2.5 deep,installed in pembs

 

[davidroberts30]

SAme in wales?

Dear Luke,

In answer to your question the current law is "Statutory Instruments 2010 No 639 Water England (SSAFO) Silage, slurry and Agricultural Fuel oil Reg 2010"

Recommendations are CIRIA report C759 A and B (but B gives the most useful information)

Both work to British Standard Institute BS 5502-50:1993 + A2 : 2010

I hope that helps.

Regards

James

 

[Mc115reed]

How does one clean out a plastic lined lagoon ? On sand every year on conventional beddings every few years?

 

[farmboy]

How does one clean out a plastic lined lagoon ? On sand every year on conventional beddings every few years?

We’ve just done ours, liner and then concrete floor with concrete ramp to get down in to it

 

[Bramble]

Dear Bramble,

This is a good question and has hits on a sore point across the country.

* So Scottish government will NOT give grant on clay lined lagoons.
* EA are increasingly nervous about clay lined lagoons due to the amount of issues they have faced over the past few years with them. It now very much comes down to your local EA officer.
* Your 6 year old clay lined lagoon should be fine.
*Your 40 year old lagoon I am sure the EA/SEPA will ask for testing to be done.
*Any lagoon liner (clay included) beyond its 20 year life design should get tested.

I hope this helps, if you have any more questions please do drop me a line at [email protected]

Regards

James

Hi James

What kind of tests can you do on a 40 year old lagoon to work out if it's OK? Either a lagoon leaks or it doesn't. If there was a leak then I'm sure the EA would have me in jail by now!

In reality there is 6-8ft of silt/sludge in it, with only about 4 ft of useable capacity. It has only ever had dirty water water in it, no slurry, and has never been cleaned out since it was built. The lagoon doesn't leak AFAIK and if I had to start digging it out to carry out some kind of test I would be concerned this may lead to some trouble.

The newer lagoon had the clay tested and was built in conjunction with, and certified by, the EA.