The animal feeding operations (AFO) Siting Atlas was created because of requests from the livestock industry. It’s designed to help producers evaluate potential locations for livestock and poultry sites. Producers, consultants and DNR staff can quickly locate a potential site and determine if a new or expanding facility is likely to be located on alluvial soils; or if a confinement site could be located in karst terrain.
Alluvial soils and karst describe areas in Iowa that may be highly vulnerable to flooding or groundwater contamination. Alluvial soils were formed in materials that were deposited by running water, thus it is possible that a site located in alluvial soils is located in a floodplain. Karst terrain refers to those areas that have soluble bedrock close to the ground surface. Karst areas are often characterized by sinkholes and losing streams. Water and contaminants in these areas can travel quickly through underground passageways to wells, springs, and streams.
Refer to the Help pages at left for general information about using interactive maps or use the specific instructions for the AFO Siting Atlas. Check proper siting for more information on regulations. If a proposed site appears to be located in a potentially vulnerable area, you can contact a DNR geologist at (515) 242-6848 for a more precise determination to learn whether the site would actually be located in vulnerable soils.
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