Winter Manure Application: Stewardship, Compliance, and Best Practices

Winter conditions always create challenges for livestock producers, especially when it comes to responsibly managing manure while protecting water quality and staying compliant with state guidance. Proper planning ahead of winter weather, like dewatering ponds to maintain capacity, can make all the difference for livestock producers.

Winter manure application is not ideal and should be avoided. In fact, many Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs) prohibit spreading manure on frozen or snow-covered ground except in emergencies. Manure is a valuable source of crop nutrients and soil organic matter, but applying it when soils are frozen, saturated, or snow-covered increases the risk of nutrient loss and water-quality impacts unless done carefully and under appropriate conditions.

In Colorado for 2026, winter manure application isn’t completely banned, but state rules and Colorado State University (CSU) Extension recommend limiting the practice to emergencies (such as limited storage capacity due to extreme storm events) and require careful attention to setbacks, application rates, and best management practices (BMPs) to reduce environmental risks. In Idaho, the window for the application of manure has recently closed.

If producers find that they have an emergency situation and need to apply manure, here are some guidelines to follow. As always, it is important to be familiar with the regulations specific to your state.

Understanding Winter Application Risks

Applying manure on frozen or snow-covered soils decreases infiltration and raises the chances that nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen, will be carried away with surface runoff during thaw or rainfall rather than entering the soil where crops can access them. It is important to avoid spreading manure in early or late winter near forecasted thaw or runoff events.

Manure management best practice guidelines emphasize that limiting manure application to times when soil conditions minimize runoff risk and following setback rules are essential for protecting water bodies and groundwater.

Key Winter Manure Application Guidelines

1. Setbacks and Site Selection

Proper setbacks and thoughtful field selection reduce the risk of manure moving off-site and entering water resources:

• Buffer Zones: Maintain a minimum 150-foot setback between manure storage and application areas and down-gradient wells.
• Water Sources: Maintain at least 100 feet from streams, lakes, ponds, sinkholes, and agricultural drainage systems.
• Slope Restrictions: Avoid manure application on slopes >15%, as steeper land is more prone to runoff.
• Avoid High-Risk Conditions: Do not spread manure on flooded, saturated, or heavily frozen soil unless it’s an emergency situation.

2. Application Rates

When winter application is absolutely necessary to prevent storage overflow, adhering to rate limits helps reduce runoff potential:

• Liquid Manure: Maximum of 5,000 gallons per acre.
• Solid Non-Poultry Manure: Maximum of 20 tons per acre.
• Solid Poultry Manure: Maximum of 3 tons per acre.

Matching application rates to crop needs and soil nutrient status is always essential to avoid excessive nutrient loading or losses.

3. Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Strong BMPs help protect water quality even when winter application is unavoidable:

• Prioritize Vegetated Fields: Choose fields with standing crops, cover crops, or significant crop residue to help trap nutrients and slow runoff.
• Incorporate Promptly: Where feasible, incorporate or inject manure into the soil soon after application to reduce volatile losses and surface exposure.
• Avoid Snow-Covered Ground: Only apply manure to snow-covered or frozen fields to avoid storage overflow and never near forecasted thaw or precipitation events.
• Manage Runoff: Use berms, grass buffers, and diversion structures to divert clean water away from manure piles and application zones and reduce transport to surface waters.

4. Permitted Operations (CAFOs and NMPs)

Producers should always refer to their CAFO permit, CAFO registration, and/or NMP documentation before winter application.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and other livestock operations must follow a site-specific Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) that often includes stricter guidance. NMPs and CAFO documents are typically reviewed and approved by a state regulatory agency:

• Many NMPs prohibit manure spreading on frozen or snow-covered ground except during emergencies.
• Emergency applications may require prior notifications to regulatory agencies and detailed documentation of circumstances, application fields, and application amounts.

Plan Ahead: Infrastructure and Timing Matter

The best way to prevent risky winter manure applications is to plan ahead and to invest in sufficient storage capacity. Manure spreading during spring and fall is ideal when soils are more receptive, and runoff risks are lower. Establishing proper storage infrastructure, testing soil and manure nutrients, and calibrating application equipment all help improve nutrient use and protect the environment.

Conclusion

Winter manure application in any state requires careful planning, strict attention to setbacks and application rates, and diligent execution of BMPs to protect water quality and comply with your state’s guidelines. While the practice isn’t universally banned, limiting its application to emergency situations and only when conditions minimize risk is essential. Producers and land managers should consult their Nutrient Management Plan, as well as state resources.

At AGPROfessionals, we have a team ready to help guide you through the process, from formulating Nutrient Management Plans to designing manure storage and handling systems.