Drainage

• Operations and Timing
• Equipment Used
• Potential Environmental Problems
• Best Management Practices

The purpose of agricultural drainage is to remove excess water from the soil in order to enhance crop production. In some soils, the natural drainage processes are sufficient for growth and production of agricultural crops, but in many other soils, artificial drainage is needed for efficient agricultural production.

Impacts of poor drainage -- stunted, yellow plants

(Source: Purdue University)

Surface drainage is the removal of water that collects on the land surface. Many fields have low spots or depressions where water ponds. Surface drainage techniques such as land leveling, constructing surface inlets to subsurface drains, and the construction of shallow ditches or waterways can allow the water to leave the field rather than causing prolonged wet areas.

Poorly drained area in crop field will damaged yields

(Source: Purdue University)

Subsurface drainage removes excess water from the soil profile, usually through a network of perforated tubes installed 2 to 4 feet below the soil surface. These tubes are commonly called "tiles" because they were originally made from short lengths of clay pipes known as tiles. Water would seep into the small spaces between the tiles and drains away.

Today the most common type of "tile" is corrugated plastic tubing with small perforations to allow water entry. When the water table in the soil is higher than the tile, water flows into the tubing, either through holes in the plastic tube or through the small cracks between adjacent clay tiles. This lowers the water table to the depth of the tile over the course of several days.

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Operations and Timing

On average, about two-thirds of annual precipitation is used by crops in the eastern Corn Belt. The rest falls at a time when it does not meet crop needs. Monthly precipitation remains fairly constant throughout the year, while evapotranspiration (a combination of evaporation from soil and transpiration from the crop), is much higher from June to September. From January to May, and from October to December, precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration, creating a water surplus. The surplus results in excess water in the crop root zone and the need for drainage. Drainage is primarily a concern in the periods prior to the growing season (January to April) so that crops can be planted at the optimum time.

(Note: Even in humid areas, crop water needs often exceed precipitation in July, August, and September. Although some of the moisture deficiency is met by stored soil moisture, irrigation can often increase yields.)

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Equipment Used

Designing and installing a drainage system is a complex process. Every field is unique and usually requires an individual design. Drainage depends on topography, crops that will be grown on the field, and soil type. Every soil type has different properties that affect its drainage. Agronomists and engineers have developed recommendations for drainage depth and spacing in specific soil types based on years of experience and knowledge of soil properties. Drainage contractors use these recommendations to design drainage systems that economically and effectively drain a particular field.

Drainage plows that can be pulled by farm tractors are becoming more popular. But most farmers hire contractors to design and install their tile drainage systems because of the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to install a successful system.

Trenching machine used by drainage contractors to install subsurface drainage tile (shown in white)	Source: Purdue University
Drainage plow being pulled by farm tractor installing a tileline	Source: Purdue University

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Potential Environmental Concerns

The major concerns related to drainage are:

• Loss of wetlands, and
• Increased loss of nitrate through tile drains.

Wetlands

Much of the Midwest landscape consisted of wetlands before large-scale drainage began in the 19th century. Although enormous public health and economic benefits have resulted from the draining of these wetlands over the last 150 years, there have also been negative impacts on the environment. Wetlands have an important hydrologic function in regulating water flow and maintaining water quality, as well as providing habitat for water-based wildlife. Recognition of their value has changed the way our society thinks about and protects wetlands.

Drainage improvements today are rarely for the purpose of converting existing wetlands to agricultural production. Improved drainage is usually aimed at making existing agricultural land more productive. Some fields have drain tiles that were installed 100 or more years ago, and are broken or plugged. In many fields, only a few of the wettest spots were originally drained, while the entire field would benefit from improved drainage. More tiles are often added to improve drainage efficiency, with the goal of increasing production.

Water quality

Drainage has both positive and negative effects on water quality.

In general, less surface runoff, erosion, and phosphorus is lost from land that has good subsurface drainage than from land without drainage improvements or with only surface drainage.

Pesticides can also flow into subsurface drains, but usually only in very low concentrations. Pesticides move more easily in flow over the soil surface than through the soil, so the highest concentrations of pesticides in tiles are often in fields that have surface inlets into the drains. In fact, subsurface drainage may actually reduce pesticide loss to rivers and streams because it reduces surface runoff.

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Best Management Practices

Traditionally, the goals of drainage were to:

1. Maximize crop yield and
2. Minimize costs of drainage installation.

(Source: Purdue University)

Nitrate loss is the biggest water quality concern related to tile drainage. Several new technologies can reduce nitrate loss. Controlled drainage keeps the water table high during the off-season when crops are not growing. The high water table increases the rate of denitrification (a process that converts nitrate to harmless nitrogen gas (N₂) as soon as the saturated soil warms up in the spring) and reduces nitrate loss to the environment.

Controlled drainage can be combined with subirrigation to improve yields while protecting water quality. Subirrigation is irrigation back through the subsurface drain tiles. Subirrigation may be economical when fields are relatively level and need to be drained anyway, since additional infrastructure consists mainly of increased numbers of tiles the pumping system. One system being developed in Ohio combines a wetland for water treatment and a pond serving as a reservoir for subirrigation with a drainage system. This system has been shown to increase yields and reduce water quality impacts of drainage, although it is costly.

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