Drainage Water Management

Keep water where it’s needed with controlled drainage.

Don’t Send Vital Water (and Nutrients) Downstream

As any farmer knows, there are some growing seasons that have both time periods of desperately needing water and getting too much water. It can be difficult to have the perfect amount of water during critical growing periods – which can have a major influence on yield. Drainage water management changes that.

Drainage water management, also known as controlled drainage, uses a water control structure to manage water drainage from your fields. The water level is managed by raising stop-logs within the control structure when drainage isn’t critical – such as outside the growing season – so water can stay in the field. When drainage is needed, the stop-logs can be lowered, and the system operates as a conventional drainage system.

So, if it finally rains after months of drought, controlled drainage will ensure that water stays in the field. Conversely, if it’s been raining nonstop for weeks, your water control structure will help remove excess water from fields, minimizing the risk of ponding.

When water is held back, it gives your crop and the soil time to absorb excess nutrients. These systems can be installed on their own, but pair nicely with in-field management like cover crops and additional edge of field management like saturated buffers.

NOTE: Drainage water management has little impact on the concentration of nitrate in drainage water. BUT, when you reduce the volume of drainage water leaving the field through controlled drainage, you reduce the load or total mass of nitrate leaving the field. You can also pair DWM with a bioreactor or saturated buffer for maximum impact.

Benefits at a Glance

33% reduction in nitrate leaving the field

Up to 15% yield advantage (may not occur every year)

Managed soil moisture

Decreased nutrient leaching

Increased soil carbon

How It’s Done

Your field will be divided into drainage management zones. Each zone will be managed by one water control structure. One structure can at least 10-20 acres, but it depends on field topography.

Drainage control structures work best on:

Flat fields (up to 1% slope) Higher slopes may require additional equipment
Pattern-tiled fields
New systems planned and designed for drainage water management or old tile systems that need to be repaired or replaced

Partner Spotlight: Agri Drain

Agri Drain is an Iowa small business providing drainage and conservation products to farmers. They patented a system that allows farmers to program automated drainage to get the most out of every season. Founder, Charlie Schaffer, is a conservation champion, and won a 2023 Iowa Watershed Award.