Farm Managment Plan
The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District (Metro District) treats approximately 130 million gallons of wastewater per day at its Central Treatment Plant in Denver, CO. The solids removed during the wastewater treatment process are further processed in large, oxygen free tanks called anaerobic digesters where the solids are stabilized and pathogens are destroyed. The treated product that results from the digestion process, called biosolids, is a nutrient-rich organic material that can be used as a soil amendment and fertilizer for agricultural land. The Metro District produces on average 82 dry tons of biosolids per day. Marketed under the trade name METROGROŽ, the Metro District produces two different biosolids products: Cake and Compost. The Metro District's biosolids management program includes the transport and distribution of both METROGROŽ products.
The METROGRO Farm, approximately 52,000 acres, is made up of three properties: the North, Central and South Farms (see Map 1, next page). The North and Central Farms, totaling about 22,000 acres, are located mostly in Arapahoe County. The 30,000-acre South Farm is in Elbert County.
The METROGRO Farm Management Plan (Plan) is a collaborative effort between the Metro District and tenant farmer, Mr. Tom Thompson III, to coordinate activities and schedule the biosolids land application and farming operations at the METROGRO Farm. In addition, the Plan provides a means of identifying problem areas and tracking the progress of remedial actions taken. Current information from the Independent Monitoring Program conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is also included.
Goals and Objectives
Beneficial use of biosolids as a fertilizer and soil amendment on agricultural land is a primary goal of the Metro District. The METROGRO Farm was originally obtained for the purpose of providing secure, long-term availability of agricultural land to the Metro District for such beneficial use. Over the past five years the impact of the drought on crop production, changes in how agronomic loading rates are calculated, and increased involvement from the tenant farmer on fertilization decisions at the Farm have all contributed to changes with how the Farm is utilized in the overall biosolids management program. The Farm is now used in conjunction with several private farm sites as part of the land application portion of the overall biosolids management program. The objectives for the Metro District's biosolids management program are to continue the transport and distribution of quality METROGROŽ biosolids products in a safe, efficient and beneficial manner.
Farm and rangeland management practices for enhancement of quality and condition of the land are fundamental to the Metro District's stewardship practices. These practices maintain or enhance the immediate and surrounding environment. We believe the objectives for biosolids land application and METROGRO Farm management are both compatible and complementary.
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