Farm drainage activity picking up momentum in state

HERMAN, Minn. - Many farmers installed farm drainage tile this fall.

Trevor Schiele can attest to that. He works for New Horizons in Herman, which purchased Miles Tiling. Schiele's crews have worked six days a week from early April until Dec. 15.

"Every year there has been increase in the number of systems we install," Schiele said. "But this year, it tripled. Farmers are making some money and putting it back into their fields."

Hans Kandel is a North Dakota State University agronomist who has led research in water management systems.

"Farmers are facing greater risks," he said. "Their crop prices may have increased but so have their inputs."

Western and northern Minnesota plus North Dakota have become hotbeds of drainage activity due to crop prices and better corn and soybean varieties for northern areas.

Soils in western Minnesota are generally heavier clay loams, he said. Installing the water management systems lowers the water table so plants have oxygen in the root zone. Farmers who have installed drainage tile have seen yield increases.

Kandel says the best term for what has been commonly called ag drainage tile is water management systems since the systems truly manage water within a field.

The public has misconceptions about drainage tile including false impressions that tile drainage leads to flood events.

"Keep in mind when spring comes, that the water is running off the fields," Schiele said. "Everything is frozen in the ground, including the drainage tiles."

New research has led to improved water management systems. Water can now be captured and released within the field during drought periods.

Not all farmers are turning to professional installers to put in water management systems, Kandel said. Producers interested in putting the system in themselves need to realize the equipment and workers needed to complete the task. Farmers also need to understand the field and tile design.

Farmers can learn more about the technicalities of drainage tile installation at several informational meetings to be conducted in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota, Kandel said.

The first meetings scheduled are in Wahpeton, N.D. The first session is taking place Feb. 21 and 22 and the second on Feb. 23 and 24. All are set for the North Dakota State College of Science campus. The sessions are limited to 50 people due to the technical nature of the presentations. The smaller group gives producers opportunity to talk to professionals about field type and tile design.

More information on ag drainage can be found at extension.umn.edu/AGdrainage/ .