This study used LiDAR data to identify 57 karst sinkholes in a county in New York that require manure application setbacks according to new guidelines. The study mapped 19,335 acres of crop fields with soil types or shallow bedrock zones that need spring manure application restrictions. However, 4,822 acres were identified as "false positives" that have targeted soil types but evidence of thick glacial till, so may not need the strict application rules. The maps produced can help farmers comply with new manure management guidelines to prevent well contamination from surface water reaching karst features in the study area.

1. Paul L. Richards M. Todd Walter
The College at Brockport Dept. of Biol. & Env. Engineering
350 New campus Drive Cornell University
Brockport, NY 14420 Ithaca, NY
Identifying Karst and Manure Management
Setbacks using LIDaR

2. THE PROBLEM: Well Contamination Events

3. B. Any liquid manure with less than 12% solids applied from January 1
through April 15 of each year must be incorporated the same calendar
day as it is applied in fields with:
1) Surface depressions (either mapped or observed
by a AEM planner) that contain shallow soils (Aurora,
Benson, Newstead, Rubblel and, or Wassaic), rock
outcrops, and/or shallow bedrock; and/or
2) Any other area mapped with Aurora, Benson, Newstead
,Rubbleland or Wassaic soil types; and/or
3) Contributing drainage areas to karst features (i.e.,
sinkholes, swallets, depressions, the shallow soils listed
above, rock outcrops, and/or shallow bedrock).
Czymmek and others (2011)
NEW MANURE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
(applicable to Genesee County )

4. 2) Sinkholes and swallets must be protected with a
vegetated buffer 30 feet wide and a manure application
setback of 100 feet at all times.
NEW MANURE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
(applicable to Genessee County )

5. WHAT ABOUT OTHER COUNTIES ?
New York Soil Series, Variants, and Miscellaneous units that are less
than 40 inches deep to carbonate bedrock (e.g. limestone, dolomite):
Benson Galway Kings Falls Ogdensberg
Chaumont Gouveneur Madalin Variant Ruse
Chippeny Groton Variant Matoon Summerville
Hippeny Guff Neckrock Sun Variant
Farmington Guffin Nehasne Wassaic
Galoo Joliet Newstead Wilpoint
Likely to be the same rules but different soils
See Appendix A of Czimmek et al (2004 )
http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/files/Groundwater.pdf

6. IMPLEMENTATION IS TRICKY

7. BACKGROUND
Fairchild et al (1909)
Palmer (multiple papers)
Rhinehart Thesis (2005)
Voortman and Simons Thesis (2009)
KARST

8. Palmer (1981) GSA Bulletin V. 103 p.1-21
Karst Formation

9. + Post Glacial Modification by burial or scour
+ Presence of some “Pop-up” Ridges

10. Identify sinkholes -> Buffer them in accordance to the guidelines
-> Evaluate watershed divides
Map “targeted soils” that need spring manure restrictions
Identify targeted soils that may be “False Positives” ; soils that are
shallow, but where there is compelling geological evidence that
they are in fact thickly-soiled.
OBJECTIVES
Prepare shapefiles and maps that CCAs can use to farm in accordance
to the guidelines.

11. STUDY AREA

12. METHODOLOGY
Identify sinkholes from hill-shaded LIDAR
Intersect crop fields with targeted soil, rubble land and
elevated bedrock zones to identify sensitive areas
From this collection, intersect sensitive cropland with glacial faces
And borehole data indicative of thick glacial sediments.

13. Wells were used to independently determine depth to bedrock.

14. METHODOLOGY
Utilize digital terrain modeling techniques to evaluate divides
associated with sinkholes
Field check the maps by walking some of these fields and
searching for evidence of shallow bedrock

15. RESULTS 57 sinkholes found

16. Many sinkholes occur along fracture zones
or near escarpments visible from the LiDAR data

17. Drumlin / Flute covered highlands and melt water channels
IDENTIFYING GLACIAL FACES / FEATURESRESULTS Meltwater channels where sediment
was stripped away to bedrock

18. RESULTS Glacial Mega-flutes and Drumlins

19. Glacial Megaflutes

20. RESULTS Banded Moraine Deposits

21. RESULTS Scoured bedrock ridges / highlands

22. RESULTS End moraine deposits

23. RESULTS False positives. Targeted soils occuring
on thick till sequences

24. Map Products

27. CONCLUSIONS
- There are 57 sinkholes sites that need buffering.
- 19,335 acres of crop fields need spring restrictions.
- 4,822 acres of cropfields were deemed in this study to
have evidence for thick till, but fail the manure
guidelines by either presence of targeted soil or
elevated bedrock zone.

28. This work was funded by a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant
Provided by NRCS-NY