NC swine lagoons still in trouble from Hurricane Florence

Swine lagoons in North Carolina still are showing signs of damage or are at risk nearly a month after Hurricane Florence made landfall, according to the latest survey by state environmental officials. The North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reported that six facilities with a total of six lagoons suffered actual structural damage, which may or may not have led to hog waste being released, as of Oct. 6. Another 28 facilities with 32 lagoons had waste discharges ­– known as overtopping – while seven facilities with nine lagoons were labeled inundated or surrounded by surface water that may be flowing into the lagoons.DEQ added that eight facilities with 10 lagoons have no room for new material, and 29 facilities with 37 lagoons have between zero and three inches of depth available for any liquid.