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Why do producers continue to add more drainage (increase intensity)?. Goals:. Uniform field conditions for timely planting and harvesting Higher crop yields Risk reduction. Modern Drainage Technology. We have the technology to drain effectively.
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Why do producers continue to add more drainage (increase intensity)? • Goals: Uniform field conditions for timely planting and harvesting Higher crop yields Risk reduction
We have the technology to drain effectively Do we have the technology we need to do effective drainage water management?
What is the goal • Production AND Environmental Benefits – this impacts the scale (field vs landscape) • Drain only as much as needed • Get rid of the water OR keep it • Storage and re-use • Water treatment / filtration • Flood attenuation • Watershed planning • Managing surface drainage water
Some potentially useful emerging technologies • Lidar – water management design applications • RTK-GPS – controlled traffic • Bioreactors • Saturated buffers • Treatment wetlands • Two-stage ditches • Subirrigation • Crop genetics – improved stress tolerance
Needed technologies • Telemetry for control • Subsurface drainage system design software that optimizes water management zones • Control ‘valves’ for surface inlets • Simple accurate flow measurement – critical for nutrient trading verification
No silver bullet • Suites of practices are critical • Controlled traffic • No till • Cover crops • 4 R