Dryland Wheat Farming - Boulder Park 
Biosolids fertilization gives obvious increases in growth compared to crops fertilized with commercial fertilizers. The Boulder Park project encompasses more that 50,000 acres of dryland grain crops in Douglas County, where biosolids have proven to be highly beneficial for crop yield enhancement and reducing soil erosion. This project includes more than 120 landowners and farmers interested in improving their soils and enhancing the economy of their rural environment. Biosolids from other agencies are also recycled at this site, helping to satisfy the increasing demand for this soil amendment. Applying biosolids
King County partners with Douglas County's Boulder Park, Inc. to manage the application of biosolids to wheat fields. Biosolids being unloaded (left), loaded into spreaders (center), and applied (center) to a wheat field in North Central Washington. Biosolids are delivered to storage areas within each field, loaded into trailers and applied using specially designed spreading equipment at agronomic rates, matching crop needs with the nitrogen value of biosolids. Careful monitoring of soils, ground and surface water near the application sites ensures that biosolids applications meet crop nitrogen requirements and protect water resources.  
A field shortly after biosolids application (left) and after incorporation (right). An agronomic application supplies all nutrients needed for optimum crop yield without loading the soil with excessive nutrients that could pollute groundwater. Visitors are sometimes surprised at the low density of biosolids applied under this scheme, seen here before (left) and after incorporation by tilling (right). Enhanced wheat germination and growth Biosolids have been shown to improve the germination rate of wheat when applied to the fields. Enhanced germination and early growth improves winter survival of young wheat plants. A thick canopy cover restricts weed establishment and helps reduce moisture loss from the soil. As a result, farmers have reduced the use of herbicides and water is conserved for plants. Wheat treated with biosolids stands out as dark green strips (left), grows a thick healthy canopy (center) and outperforms wheat grown with commercial fertilizers (right).
Harvesting the wheat
A biosolids-amended wheat crop is allowed to ripen (left), before being harvesting (center) and threshed into a stream of golden kernels (right).
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Green Globe Award 2007 Boulder Park Inc. received the Green Globe award in 2007 for its biosolids recycling achievements. | Other beneficial uses of King County biosolids: |
