Waste Lagoons Research Articles

Modeled Coastal‐Ocean Pathways of Land‐Sourced Contaminants in the Aftermath of Hurricane Florence

AbstractExtreme precipitation during Hurricane Florence, which made landfall in North Carolina in September 2018, led to breaches of hog waste lagoons, coal ash pits, and wastewater facilities. In the weeks following the storm, freshwater discharge carried pollutants, sediment, organic matter, and debris to the coastal ocean, contributing to beach closures, algae blooms, hypoxia, and other ecosystem impacts. Here, the ocean pathways of land‐sourced contaminants following Hurricane Florence are investigated using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) with a river point source with fixed water properties from a hydrologic model (WRF‐Hydro) of the Cape Fear River Basin, North Carolina's largest watershed. Patterns of contaminant transport in the coastal ocean are quantified with a finite duration tracer release based on observed flooding of agricultural and industrial facilities. A suite of synthetic events also was simulated to investigate the sensitivity of the river plume transport pathways to river discharge and wind direction. The simulated Hurricane Florence discharge event led to westward (downcoast) transport of contaminants in a coastal current, along with intermittent storage and release of material in an offshore (bulge) or eastward (upcoast) region near the river mouth, modulated by alternating upwelling and downwelling winds. The river plume patterns led to a delayed onset and long duration of contaminants affecting beaches 100 km to the west, days to weeks after the storm. Maps of the onset and duration of hypothetical water quality hazards for a range of weather conditions may provide guidance to managers on the timing of swimming/shellfishing advisories and water quality sampling.

Unregulated Active and Closed Textile Mills Represent a Significant Vector of PFAS Contamination into Coastal Rivers.

Despite concerns over the ubiquity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), little is known about the diversity of input sources to surface waters and their seasonal dynamics. Frequent use of PFAS in textiles means both active and closed textile mills require evaluation as PFAS sources. We deployed passive samplers at seven sites in an urban river and estuary adjacent to textile mills in Southern Rhode Island (USA) over 12 months. We estimated monthly mass flows (g month-1) of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA: 45±56), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA: 30±45) from the upstream river influenced by an active mill. Average mass flows were 73-155% higher downstream, where historical textile waste lagoons contributed long chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA). Mass flows of PFNA increased from 7.5 to 21 g month-1 between the upstream and downstream portions of the rivers. Distinct grouping of the two main PFAS sources, active textile mills and historical waste lagoons, were identified using principal components analysis. Neither suspect screening nor extractable organofluorine analysis revealed measurable PFAS were missing beyond the targeted compounds. This research demonstrates that both closed and active textile mills are important ongoing PFAS sources to freshwater and marine regions and should be further evaluated as a source category.

Pollution and health-risk assessments of Cr-contaminated soils from a tannery waste lagoon, Hebei, north China: With emphasis on Cr speciation

In this paper, heavy metals (i.e., V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Sb) in soils from a tannery waste lagoon, Hebei, north China were investigated. Element concentrates were determined by a portable X-ray fluorescence in situ and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the lab. Two sets of indexes, including geological accumulation index, contamination factor, and pollution load index, and hazard quotient and total carcinogenic risk were adopted to evaluate the pollution and health-risk of heavy metals. A scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to observe chromium occurrence and speciation. With an average of 6493.11 mg/kg, chromium contents in the lagoon soils reached up to 12971.19 mg/kg, 211-times higher than the threshold of Chinese soils (61.00 mg/kg). Elevated Cr contents resulted in significantly high pollution and noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in the studied area. Chromium in most soils occurred predominately as Cr3+ (60–74%), and to a lesser extent, Cr6+. The mechanism responsible for decreasing Cr6+ percentages in soils with increasing depth was summarized: Cr6+ favors aqueous environment; soil moisture decreased with increasing depth; in soils especially in the lower portion, Cr6+ was reduced by Fe0 and Fe2, transforming into Cr3+ and Fe3+. In addition, the alkaline condition promoted Cr3+ to precipitate, resulting more Cr3+ absorbing in soils. The intimate association of Cr and Fe in soils (i.e., Cr mainly occurred in Fe oxides and dolomite) further confirmed our assumptions. A combined application of microorganism (e.g., Aeromonas hydrophila) and biochar (prepared from maize stalk or peanut shells) were recommended to alleviate Cr pollution in the soils.

The Mitigation of Pollution Induced by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

Through hazardous agricultural practices and waste mismanagement, America’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) emit a significant amount of water and air pollution that causes a myriad of environmental and human health problems. This is an issue that can be largely mitigated through the implementation of technical, legislative, and holistic solutions. The following technical solutions will be discussed: editing pollutant diets, deploying air cleansing within CAFO structures, sprinkling vegetable oil on CAFO grounds, converting methane to energy, binding waste lagoons with geosynthetic clay liners, and installing riparian buffers. Furthermore, legislative solutions entail revising and enforcing existing regulations, imposing reflexive law, mandating nutrient management plans, offering federal credits, and revisiting the Farm System Reform Act. Finally, holistic alternatives regard hog hoop barns, free-range grazing, and changing consumer preferences. 
 This paper will examine the issue of CAFOs and the specifics of the pollution they emit and will primarily focus on practical solutions to it. The methods used to contextualize the problem and discover possible solutions will be content and meta analysis research. Ultimately, the final take away was that combining technical and legal solutions–forcing physical change through legislative mandates–will cause the most significant reduction of CAFO pollution.

Hurricanes, Industrial Hog Operations, and Acute Gastrointestinal Illness in North Carolina, USA

Background and aim: North Carolina (NC) is the third most hurricane-prone state and second leading hog producer. NC’s hogs are housed in industrial hog operations (IHOs) in its eastern, hurricane-prone region. Hurricanes can inundate hog waste lagoons, transporting fecal bacteria that may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and/or nausea, collectively known as acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI). Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018) were NC's most recent deadliest hurricanes. We aim to understand the association between hurricanes and AGI in areas with and without IHOs. Methods: We used NC ZIP code-level surveillance data to calculate rates of AGI emergency department (ED) visits during 2016-2019. Using gridded PRISM precipitation data and swine permit data, we assessed the increase in AGI rate during the three weeks after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence in ZIP codes with heavy rain (>75th percentile of storm precipitation) and ≥10 IHOs and in ZIP codes with heavy rain but no IHOs by comparing AGI rates in these areas to their AGI rates during comparable non-hurricane time periods (2017, 2019). Results: The AGI rate in ZIP codes with heavy rain and ≥10 IHOs increased 13% (RR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.29) after Hurricane Florence and 8% (RR=1.08, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.33) after Hurricane Matthew, while the AGI rates in ZIP codes with heavy rain and no IHOs experienced no increase (Florence: RR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.88, 1.12; Matthew: RR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.16). ZIP codes with heavy precipitation and IHOs also had a higher proportion of Black, American Indian, and Hispanic residents than the state average. Conclusions: Heavy rain from hurricanes in areas with IHOs may increase AGI rates, disproportionately harming people of color in NC. Keywords: Climate change, extreme weather, hurricane, disaster, flooding, industrial animal operations

Characterisation of litter and their deposition at the banks of coastal lagoons in Ghana

Coastal lagoons near shores of the marine environment are transitional zones that accumulate litter in transit to the oceans. In view of this, it is important that the dynamics of lagoon litter accumulation are well understood to inform waste control and sustainable management of the coastal environment. The present study assessed the spatio-temporal distribution of lagoon litter along the eastern coast of Ghana, taking a critical look at the abundance and diversity of lagoon litter. Five coastal lagoons were studied: the Kpeshie, Mukwei and Sakumo II lagoons (in urban locations) and the Gao and Keta lagoons (in non-urban locations). Site specific litter abundance (number of items) along the banks of the lagoons ranged between 842 and 8,243 items/month at a deposition rate of 0.71 items/m2/month. Plastic litter was by far the most abundant and diverse litter fraction. Generally, lagoons at urbanised areas of the coast were found to accumulate more litter than those located at non-urbanized areas. Other key factors that affected the accumulation of lagoon litter included proximity to communities, rainfall and the use of lagoons for recreational and religious activities. The results provided baseline data for lagoon waste management in the coastal environment in Ghana and other West African countries that share similar coastal characteristics.

Reconstructing the historical expansion of industrial swine production from Landsat imagery

In the USA, historical data on the period over which industrial swine farms have operated are usually only available at the county scale and released every 5 years via the USDA Census of Agriculture, leaving the history of the swine industry and its potential legacy effects on the environment poorly understood. We developed a changepoint-based workflow that recreates the construction timelines of swine farms, specifically by identifying the construction years of swine manure lagoons from historical Landsat 5 imagery for the period of 1984 to 2012. The study focused on the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, a major pork-producing state in the USA. The algorithm successfully predicted the year of swine waste lagoon construction (+ /− 1 year) with an accuracy of approximately 94% when applied to the study area. By estimating the year of construction of 3405 swine waste lagoons in NC, we increased the resolution of available information on the expansion of swine production from the county scale to spatially-explicit locations. We further analyzed how the locations of swine waste lagoons changed in proximity to water resources over time, and found a significant increase in swine waste lagoon distances to the nearest water feature across the period of record.

Variation in hydrogen sulfide emissions from a U.S. Midwest anaerobic dairy lagoon.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) emissions from midwestern United States dairy anaerobic waste lagoons are episodic and seasonal. Emissions were modeled using an inverse diffusion model in conjunction with measured concentrations and turbulence. The potential for lagoon mixing was estimated by the Brunt frequency using a theoretical Fourier series temperature profile model constructed from measured air and lagoon temperatures. Annual H2 S emissions from the dairy parlor and holding area liquid waste, based on 318 d of measurement, were 212g m-2 or 807g head of cattle-1 . Hydrogen sulfide emissions were highest in the spring and the fall. Eleven days with emissions >7g d-1 head-1 accounted for 25% of the annual emissions. Shear mixing appeared to dominate the mixing in the lagoon when the lagoon was estimated to be nearly isothermal. Wind shear correlated with significantly greater daily mean emissions. The H2 S emissions from this lagoon appeared to result from a series of processes; biogenic production of H2 S in the sludge, H2 S-enriched bubbles rise through the lagoon by buoyancy and wind shear induced mixing, and bubbles bursting at the surface either due to desiccation of the bubbles or surface disturbances induced by wind and precipitation.

Characterisation of Litter and Their Deposition at the Banks of Coastal Lagoons in Ghana

Coastal lagoons near shores of the marine environment are transitional zones that accumulate litter in transit to the oceans. In view of this, it is important that the dynamics of lagoon litter accumulation are well understood to inform waste control and sustainable management of the coastal environment. The present study assessed the spatio-temporal distribution of lagoon litter along the eastern coast of Ghana, taking a critical look at the abundance and diversity of lagoon litter. Five coastal lagoons were studied: the Kpeshie, Mukwei and Sakumo II lagoons (in urban locations) and the Gao and Keta lagoons (in non-urban locations). Overall, a total of 103,671 items with a total mass of approximately 5000 kg were collected from a total area of 125,000 m 2 around the coastal lagoons over a six-month period. The rate of litter accumulation at the banks of coastal lagoons in Ghana was estimated as 0.028 items/m 2 /month. Plastic litter was by far the most abundant and diverse litter fraction. Generally, lagoons at urbanised areas of the coast were found to accumulate more litter than those located at non-urbanized areas. Other key factors that affected the accumulation of lagoon litter included proximity to communities, rainfall and the use of lagoons for recreational and religious activities. The results provided baseline data for lagoon waste management in the coastal environment in Ghana and other West African countries that share similar coastal characteristics.

Susceptibility of Armigeres subalbatus Coquillett (Diptera: Culicidae) to Zika virus through oral and urine infection.

BackgroundZika virus (ZIKV) disease outbreaks have been occurring in South America since 2015, and has spread to North America. Because birth defects and cases of Guillain Barré have been associated with infection with ZIKV, this has drawn global attention. ZIKV is generally considered an Aedes-transmitted pathogen. The transmission of ZIKV through blood by Aedes mosquito bites has been recognized as the major transmission route. However, it is not clear whether there are other transmission routes that can cause viral infection in mosquitos. The aim of the present study is to describe the susceptibility of Armigeres subalbatus, which often develop in human waste lagoons, to ZIKV, through oral infection in adult mosquitoes and urine infection in larvae.Methodology/Principal findingsFive-day-old female Ar. subalbatus ingested infectious blood meals containing ZIKV. After 4, 7, and 10 days of ingesting infectious blood meals, ZIKV could be detected in the midguts, salivary glands, ovaries, and collected saliva of mosquitoes. The ZIKV infection rate (IR) on day 10 reached 40% in salivary glands and 13% in saliva, indicating that these mosquitoes were able to transmit ZIKV. In addition, ZIKV infection was also discovered in mosquito ovaries, suggesting the possibility of vertical transmission of virus. Moreover, Ar. subalbatus transmitted ZIKV to infant mice bitten by infectious mosquitoes. In a second experiment, 1st-instar larvae of Ar. subalbatus were reared in water containing ZIKV and human urine. After pupation, pupae were placed in clean water and transferred to a mosquito cage for emergence. Although ZIKV RNA was detected in all of the larvae tested, ZIKV was not detected in the saliva of any adult Ar. subalbatus. Considering that there are more uncontrollable factors in nature than in the laboratory environment, the possibility that the virus is transmitted to adult mosquitoes via larvae is very small period.Conclusions/SignificanceAdult Ar. subalbatus could be infected with ZIKV and transmit ZIKV through mosquito bites. Therefore, in many rural areas in China and in undeveloped areas of other Asian countries, the management of human waste lagoons in the prevention and control of Zika disease should be considered. Corresponding adjustments and modifications should also be made in prevention and control strategies against ZIKV.

Removal of microcystins from a waste stabilisation lagoon: Evaluation of a packed-bed continuous flow TiO2 reactor.

Photocatalysis has been shown to successfully remove microcystins (MC) in laboratory experiments. Most research to date has been performed under ideal conditions in pure or ultrapure water. In this investigation the efficiency of photocatalysis using titanium dioxide was examined in a complex matrix (waste stabilisation lagoon water). A flow-through photocatalytic reactor was used for the photocatalytic removal of four commonly occurring microcystin analogues (MC-YR, MC-RR, MC-LR, and MC-LA). Up to 51% removal for single MC analogues in waste lagoon water was observed. Similar removal rates were observed when a mixture of all four MC analogues was treated. Although treatment of MC-containing cyanobacterial cells of Microcystis aeruginosa resulted in no decline in cell numbers or viability with the current reactor design and treatment regime, the photocatalytic treatment did improve the overall quality of waste lagoon water. This study demonstrates that despite the presence of natural organic matter the microcystins could be successfully degraded in a complex environmental matrix.

Estimating exposure to hydrogen sulfide from animal husbandry operations using satellite ammonia as a proxy: Methodology demonstration

Husbandry trace gases that have climate change implications such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) can be quantified through remote sensing; however, many husbandry gases with health implications such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), cannot. This pilot study demonstrates an approach to derive H2S concentrations by coupling in situ and remote sensing data.Using AMOG (AutoMObile trace Gas) Surveyor, a mobile air quality and meteorology laboratory, we measured in situ concentrations of CH4, CO2, NH3, H2S, and wind at a southern California university research dairy. Emissions were 0.13, 1.93, 0.022 and 0.0064 Gg yr−1; emission factors (EF) were 422, 6333, 74, and 21 kg cow−1 yr−1, respectively, for the 306 head herd. Contributing to these strong EF were spillway emissions from a grate between the main cowshed and the waste lagoon identified in airborne remote sensing data acquired by the hyperspectral thermal infrared imager, Mako.NH3 emissions from the Chino Dairy Complex, also in southern California, were calculated from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite data for 2008–2017 using average morning winds, yielding a flushing time of 2.7 h, and 8.9 Gg yr−1. The ratio of EF(H2S) to EF(NH3) for the research dairy from AMOG data were applied to IASI NH3 emissions to derive H2S exposure concentration maps for the Chino area, which ranged to 10–30 ppb H2S for many populated areas.Combining remote sensing with in situ concentrations of multiple emitted gases can allow derivation of emissions at the sub-facility, facility, and larger scales, providing spatial and temporal coverage that can translate into exposure estimates for use in epidemiology studies and regulation development. Furthermore, with high fidelity information at the sub-facility level we can identify best practices and opportunities to sustainably and holistically reduce husbandry emissions.

Evaluation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Carriage and High Livestock Production Areas in North Carolina through Active Case Finding at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Recent reports from the Netherlands document the emergence of novel multilocus sequence typing (MLST) types (e.g., ST-398) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in livestock, particularly swine. In Eastern North Carolina (NC), one of the densest pig farming areas in the United States, as many as 14% of MRSA isolates from active case finding in our medical center have no matches in a repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) library. The current study was designed to determine if these non-matched MRSA (NM-MRSA) were geographically associated with exposure to pig farming in Eastern NC. While residential proximity to farm waste lagoons lacked association with NM-MRSA in a logistic regression model, a spatial cluster was identified in the county with highest pig density. Using MLST, we found a heterogeneous distribution of strain types comprising the NM-MRSA isolates from the most pig dense regions, including ST-5 and ST-398. Our study raises the warning that patients in Eastern NC harbor livestock associated MRSA strains are not easily identifiable by rep-PCR. Future MRSA studies in livestock dense areas in the U.S. should investigate further the role of pig–human interactions.

Preparedness Helps MH Professionals Cope With Hurricane Florence

No one waited for the slow-moving storm and its heavy rainfall to arrive before taking action to help patients with mental illness.

Determination of 82 veterinary drugs in swine waste lagoon sludge by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

This work reports the development of a multi-residue method for the identification and quantification of 82 veterinary drugs belonging to different chemical classes in swine waste lagoon. The proposed method applies a solid-phase extraction procedure with Oasis PRiME HLB cartridges that combines isolation of the compounds and sample clean-up in a single step. Analysis is performed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in one single injection with a chromatographic run time of only 9.5min. Linearity was studied in the range between 1 and 500μgkg−1 using standards prepared both in pure solvent and in the presence of matrix, showing coefficients of determination higher than 0.99 for all the analytes except for cefapirin in matrix. The average recoveries were in the range of 60–110% for most of the compounds tested with inter-day relative standard deviations below 17%. More than 97% of the investigated compounds had less or equal to a 5μgkg−1 quantitation limit in the studied matrix. Finally, the method was used with success to detect and quantify veterinary drugs residues in real samples with sulfonamides, quinolones, and tetracyclines being the most frequently determined compound groups.

Using Permeable Reactive Barriers to Remediate Heavy Metal-Contaminated Groundwater through a Laboratory Column Experiment

Recently, groundwater sources are being polluted by various activities such as agriculture, livestock, decentralized wastewater treatment systems and acid rain. Groundwater can also be polluted by landfill leachate, sewage, mine tailings, non-engineered deep well disposal of liquid waste and seepage from industrial waste lagoons. There are many studies reported contaminated groundwater remediation using Permeable Reactive Barrier systems (PRBs) and many countries happen to use this system to eliminate groundwater contaminants. This study reports the outcomes of the batch and the column test experiments conducted to evaluate the removal efficiency of four heavy metals: Cd(II), Cu(II), Fe(II) and Pb(II) using five locally available reactive materials (in Sri Lanka) with grain sizes less than or equal to 2.0 mm: Red Soil (RS), Laterite Soil (LS), Bangadeniya Soil (BS), Burnt Clay Tile (BCT) and Coconut Shell Biochar (CSB) as PRB materials. Seven columns (A-G) were filled with the reactive material of CSB (column E) and reactive material mixtures; RS + CSB (column A), LS + CSB (column B), BCT+CSB (column C), BS + CSB (column F), RS + LS (column G), with a weight ratio of 50:50 and RS + BCT + CSB (column D) with a weight ratio of 100/3:100/3:100/3. The results showed that the reactive materials filled in column A, B, D, F and G removed the metal concentrations, with a removal efficiency of over 90%, except Cd in the column with BCT + CSB mixture. Considering both the removal efficiency and the hydraulic conductivity of the columns, materials in column A, B, D and F are more effective than the others as PRB adsorbents for heavy metal remediation, while columns C and E have lower removal efficiency.

GAS PERMEABILITY OF GEOSYNTHETIC CLAY LINERS

Geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) are manufactured hydraulic barriers consisting of mineral and geosynthetic components. They belong to a group of geosynthetic products whose primary purpose is to seal and they have been used in many geotechnical and hydrotechnical applications, landfi lls and liquid waste lagoons for quite a while. They are used in landfill final cover systems to prevent the infi ltration of precipitation into the landfi ll body and the penetration of gases and liquids from the landfill into the atmosphere and environment. Laboratory and fi eld research and observations on regulated landfi lls have proven the eff ectiveness of GCL as a barrier for the infi ltration of precipitation into the landfi ll body as well as the drainage of fl uid beneath the landfill. Due to the presence of high concentrations of gases in the landfill body, there is a growing interest in determining the efficiency of GCL as a gas barrier. It was not until the last twenty years that the importance of this topic was recognized. In this article, current GCL gas permeability studies, the testing methods and test results of gas permeability in laboratory conditions are described.

Impact assessment of a saline waste lagoon on groundwater pollution near a coastal aquifer in India—synthesis of geoelectrical and hydrochemical studies

The present study is an attempt to assess the impact of a saline waste lagoon on the near subsurface through electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Resistivity and IP imaging data have been collected on profiles close to the lagoon and at a far off location (control location). Water samples have been collected from the lagoon and a municipality drinking well close to it and analysed for the water chemistry. The geoelectrical sections indicate very low resistivity formations in the near subsurface in the vicinity of the lagoon as compared to the control profile. The water chemistry data from the monitoring well close to the profile also indicates very high total dissolved solids (8658 mg/L) and qualitatively supports the contamination of the near subsurface. The conductive formations in the vicinity of the lagoon can be attributed to the overflow from the lagoon or the seepage.

Ammonia emissions from anaerobic waste lagoons at pork production operations: Influence of climate

Swine waste storage is a major source of agricultural ammonia (NH3) emissions. Understanding the factors that influence the magnitude of emissions is important to our understanding of NH3 loading of the atmosphere and it’s deposition on the landscape. Since swine operations occur across the United States, a better understanding of how differing climates influence NH3 emissions and how future climate change in might impact emissions is needed. Ammonia was measured from 2007 through 2009 at five swine farms using anaerobic lagoons for manure storage and processing. Three farms, located in North Carolina (NC), Indiana (IN), and Oklahoma (OK), handled the breeding to weaning of the pigs (sow farm). These farms had an annual mean sow live mass-specific emissions ranging from 62gd−1AU−1 (AU=500kg live mass) to 120gd−1AU−1. Two farms, located in NC and OK, handled the growing of the pigs to market size (finisher farm). These farms had annual mean live mass-specific emissions of36gd−1AU−1 (OK) and 104gd−1AU−1 (NC). An emissions model incorporating the influence of winds and temperature accounted for 74% of the measured emissions variability. A second emissions model including the influence of pH, suspended organic matter, and farm type-specific nitrogen excretion rates accounted for 66% of the measured emissions variability. An evaluation of the influence of warmer or cooler winters and summers using the second model shows that a 1°C increase in maximum daily mean temperature results in a 6.9% increase in annual emissions and a 9.5% increase in maximum emissions. Additional detailed studies focused on better estimating the loading of the lagoons and chemistry of the surface of the lagoons are needed to improve the estimation of NH3 emissions.

Occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in surface waters near industrial hog operation spray fields

Industrial hog operations (IHOs) have been identified as a source of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). However, few studies have investigated the presence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in the environment near IHOs, specifically surface waters proximal to spray fields where IHO liquid lagoon waste is sprayed. Surface water samples (n=179) were collected over the course of approximately one year from nine locations in southeastern North Carolina and analyzed for the presence of presumptive MRSA using CHROMagar MRSA media. Culture-based, biochemical, and molecular tests, as well as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry were used to confirm that isolates that grew on CHROMagar MRSA media were S. aureus. Confirmed S. aureus isolates were then tested for susceptibility to 16 antibiotics and screened for molecular markers of MRSA (mecA, mecC) and livestock adaptation (absence of scn). A total of 12 confirmed MRSA were detected in 9 distinct water samples. Nine of 12 MRSA isolates were also multidrug-resistant (MDRSA [i.e., resistant to ≥3 antibiotic classes]). All MRSA were scn-positive and most (11/12) belonged to a staphylococcal protein A (spa) type t008, which is commonly associated with humans. Additionally, 12 confirmed S. aureus that were methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) were recovered, 7 of which belonged to spa type t021 and were scn-negative (a marker of livestock-adaptation). This study demonstrated the presence of MSSA, MRSA, and MDRSA in surface waters adjacent to IHO lagoon waste spray fields in southeastern North Carolina. To our knowledge, this is the first report of waterborne S. aureus from surface waters proximal to IHOs.