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Runoff volume, suspended and total volatile solids losses from test plots was evaluated over a five year period in south coastal British Columbia, Canada. In terms of overall cumulative solids losses from fall-applied liquid dairy manure on slightly sloping land the order was: Corn Common Practice > Corn Relay Crop > Forage Grass No Aeration > Forage Grass Aerated. A relay crop as a winter cover crop for silage corn significantly reduced cumulative suspended solids and total volatile solids losses on average by 82% and 64% respectively. Aeration of forage grass was an effective treatment practice and significantly reduced cumulative suspended solids and total volatile solids losses on average by 69% and 72% respectively. A large proportion of the overall solids loss occurred over the first three runoff events regardless of treatment.

A combination of relay cropping and soil aeration appear to be effective management practices for reducing solids losses from slightly sloping fields under south coastal British Columbia conditions.