Lessons from the flood: will Floyd change livestock farming?

When Hurricane Floyd struck eastern North Carolina in September 1999, as many as 50 waste lagoons, many of them several acres in size, were inundated by flood waters. Five lagoons breached, and waterborne animal waste produced nutrient pollution and raised the potential for exposure to pathogens and the risk of disease. As the state recovers, a common question being asked is whether state livestock regulations, particularly regarding facility siting and waste management methods, will be revised to accommodate future flood conditions.