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Around Mt Judea's Hog Factory - Mike Masterson

05 Aug 2013 12:18 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
http://mikemastersonsmessenger.com/around-mount-judeas-hog-factory/

Curiosity had gotten the best of me and, after a crunchy catfish po’ boy at the historic Cliff House along Scenic 7 south of Jasper, I wandered with Pat Flippo of Fayetteville into the sprawling valley below known as the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks. That breathtaking expanse is home to the hamlet of Mount Judea.

Soon we were navigating the dirt roads that lead to the controversial C&H factory hog farm in the sensitive Buffalo National River watershed. I felt certain, as I always have, that the farm’s owners were operating as promised. Proper management never been an issue for me. My problem has been that the state’s Department of Environmental Quality could even consider approving a concentrated animal feeding operation in this treasured spot along Big Creek that flows, nearly 6 miles down, into the Buffalo.

My concern has been that our supposed guardians of the state’s precious streams didn’t require extensive groundwater testing in the leaky limestone karst formations that underlie the county. After rumbling along the gravel, we encountered a warning sign where an intersecting dirt road dropped over a rise. The sign contained two colorful large words at both top and bottom that shouted “Cargill,” with a smaller center notation, “C&H Hog Farms.” There also were two specific admonitions that warned not to drive past the sign, along with “No Trespassing” for added emphasis.

We couldn’t even glimpse the buildings designed to hold as many as 6,500 swine, or those two massive waste lagoons. But wait a second … from what Cargill has said during the months of controversy over the farm’s location is that the farm is the sole responsibility of the local owner and Cargill was more of a minor player. I sure couldn’t discern that from this sign. And while I’m familiar with “No Trespassing” signs, it’s the first time I’ve ever happened across a Cargill-promoting, double-naught, super-secret hog farm in our Ozarks.

Meanwhile, University of Arkansas geoscientist John Van Brahana, who has been freely testing the water quality and groundwater flow for folks around Mount Judea, tells me his work continues. “We’ve not turned anyone down who would like to have an analysis of their water, although we haven’t yet caught up with the demand,” he said.

He told me the groundwater flow system he’s discovered thus far is characterized by strong surface water and groundwater interaction. He said there are “numerous springs, streams and a full suite of karst features, all which indicate a risk of subsurface water movement.”

“The background concentrations of microbes is wide-ranging, indicating the natural flow system does not [dilute] these water-quality components well,” he said. “In other words, the system is open and cannot be counted on to filter or slow the movement of bacteria, viruses and nutrients.”

Dye-tracing in the subsurface flow to this point has involved collecting background sampling to verify there aren’t existing dyes already within the groundwater system, he said. “We’ve located some good injection sites but continue to look for more.”

Brahana said local landowners and farmers have been remarkably helpful and polite.

“They have concerns and fears, but I’ve been impressed with their common sense and awareness of the potential problems from both sides of the argument. This gives renewed hope that continued discussions and further study will help lead to meaningful resolution of potential problems.I’ve heard C&H Farms has entered into additional research with several highly respected scientists. This is a very good sign, from my vantage. Although not verified at this time, this will contribute important information on nutrient management that’s been missing."

Mike Masterson’s column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mikemasterson10@hotmail.com. Read his blog at mikemastersonsmessenger.com.

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