What is conservation drainage?
Subsurface tile drainage is an essential agricultural water management practice on many highly productive soils in the Midwest. However, nitrate carried in drainage water can lead to local water quality problems and contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, so strategies are needed to reduce the nitrate loads while maintaining adequate drainage for crop production. The term "conservation drainage" has been coined to describe practices that can reduce nitrate loads on tile-drained soils, including modifying drainage system design and operation, woodchip bioreactors, and modifications to the drainage ditch system. This web site provides information that has been developed by university extension specialists and researchers to inform farmers, agency staff, decision makers, and others about these practices.
Conservation drainage practices
Drainage water management
Drainage water management is the practice of using a water control structure in the main drain to raise the drainage outlet to various depths. This allows farmers to have more control over drainage.
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Drainage system and ditch design
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Land-grant university resources
Illinois: Richard Cooke, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, University of Illinois; Web Site: Illinois Drainage Guide
Indiana: Jane Frankenberger, Agricultural & Biological Engineering; Eileen Kladivko, Agronomy; Purdue University; Web Site:Purdue Ag Drainage
Iowa: Matt Helmers, Iowa State University; Web Site:Ag Water Management Research
Michigan: Tim Harrigan, Michigan State University
Minnesota: Gary Sands, University of Minnesota; Web Site:The Drainage Outlet
Missouri: Kelly Nelson, University of Missouri;
North Dakota: Xinhua Jia, North Dakota State University; Web Site:
Ohio: Larry Brown, The Ohio State University; Web Site:
South Dakota:
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
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