Runoff management

An important aspect of the design of the compost facility was determining runoff
from the roof. The roofs gable design means runoff would come from both long
sides of the roof. Gutters were added to catch runoff and channel water to the south
side of the roof where it would flow into a pre-existing detention pond located
southeast of the compost facility. The water drop tool was applied to the site
selection in AutoCAD to show how the water would flow to the detention pond.
Figure 8 below shows the facilitys location as well as black lines indicating the flow
of runoff from the roof gutters.

Figure 8. Lick Run Runoff Control

Odor Management
As one of the specified design criteria, odor management was incorporated into the
overall design of the facility. In the step method, the first step was a designated
area for mixing compostable material. This step was designed to accommodate any
mixture of compostable items, while still allowing the composter to mix responsibly
so that the mix of compostable items would not cause odor. In addition to the
mixing area, false bottoms were incorporated into the active composting steps (Bins
2, 3, and 4). False bottoms allow for passive compost aeration while piles remain in
place on each platform. The step method, when moving one compost pile to the
next, facilitates active aeration of the compost by mixing of material. The combined

aeration from active pile turning and passive wind aeration reduces the possibility of
odorous anaerobic bacteria taking over due to lack of oxygen. Increased aeration
also added additional oxygen to feed aerobic bacteria within the heart of the pile,
likely reducing the total time taken to get finished compost. While the raw materials
Rick Williams uses for his feedstock will vary seasonally, the designed process and
structures provide the flexibility to adapt to both immediate and long term demands
on the farm. Another practice that was recommended that reduces unwanted odor
is the addition of a biofilter. A biofilter is a layer of finished compost put on top of
the composting pile to reduce odor (Cordova et al, 2015).