A component of the course “Filling the Pipeline: Agricultural Drainage Education to Meet 21st Century Water Management Needs”
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Hay, Iowa Soybean Association
Overview: This module introduces the practice of controlled drainage, which adds the ability to raise and lower the drainage outlet to control the timing and amount of water released from the system. Controlled drainage reduced nitrate loss from the drainage system, and can provide modest yield benefits by conserving water during the growing season.
Zip file with all contents
Learning Objectives:
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Describe the concept and goals of controlled drainage
- List site characteristics for fields that are most suitable for controlled drainage
- Explain the concepts of control structures and water management zones for controlled drainage
- Discuss the zone elevation interval and the design tradeoffs that come with that choice
- Describe the differences between the design of controlled drainage systems and traditional drainage systems
- Discuss, and give examples of different management scenarios for controlled drainage
Step by Step Guide to Complete the Module:
- Watch Video 1: Controlled Drainage Introduction (14:56 min)
- Watch Video 2: Controlled Drainage Design (10:02 min)
- Watch Video 3: Controlled Drainage Design Example (6:47 min)
- Complete the Homework, answering the questions in the Word document using the four example fields in the pdf document.
- Watch Video 4: Controlled Drainage Operation and Management (6:53 min)
- (Optional) Look through the Optional Readings, Videos, and Tools below to gain more in-depth information.
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Code 554 for Drainage Water Management. Available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/drainage-water-management-ac-554-conservation-practice-standard
- Questions and Answers About Drainage Water Management for the Midwest. Available at https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/WQ/WQ-44.pdf
- Controlled Drainage – An Important Practice to Protect Water Quality That Can Enhance Crop Yields. Available at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/controlled-drainage
- Tile Drainage Pump Stations for Farm Fields. Available at https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2022-08/ae1747.pdf
- Controlled Drainage Site Suitability Tool. Available at https://transformingdrainage.org/tools/cd-suitability/
- Drainage Water Management Training Videos. Available at https://transformingdrainage.org/videos/dwm-training/
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award number 2018-70003-27661). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
