Hurricane Florence Floodwaters Impacting N.C. Pig Manure Lagoons

The historic floodwaters from Hurricane Florence are creating widespread impacts across all of eastern North Carolina, the NC Pork Council reported. Several hog farms have been affected the council reported.

The council says it is aware of one lagoon breach that occurred on a small farm in Duplin County, where an on-site inspection showed that solids remained in the lagoon. Four additional lagoons have been inundated by floodwaters.

While there are more than 3,000 active lagoons in the state that have been unaffected by the storm, the NC Pork Council remains concerned about the potential impact of these record-shattering floods. It is continuing to assess the impact and expect to provide further updates later today.

During Hurricane Matthew, one inactive farm experienced a partial breach and 14 additional lagoons were inundated with floodwaters. Monitoring performed by the state after the hurricane determined that water quality was not negatively impacted.

Source: NC Pork Council