Tile Drainage Farm Fields

According to the johnston farm tile drainage was first introduced to the united states in 1838 when john johnston used the practice in his native scotland on his new farm in seneca county new york johnston laid 72 miles 116 km of clay tile on 320.

Tile drainage farm fields.

This allows more options for farmers to move to reduced tillage systems improves nutrient uptake and extends the growing season in a region where days are at a premium. While tiling entire fields is proven to increase long term yield averages by 25 or more many of our clients are targeting just their problem areas and gaining back productive acres many tell us they are paying off their investment in equipment in one wet year. The ancient roman authors cato the elder and pliny the elder described tile drainage systems in 200 bc and the first century ad respectively. Second as an owner operator of farmland i installed drain tile to allow me to plant earlier avoid replanting and get better yields from my farm.

This same drainage coefficient value is used to determine the maximum flow rate of the pump. However the actual investment and installation of tile drainage is spread over a period of years often as income becomes available. My farm is rolling so the drain tile allows the farmland to hold more rainwater in a heavy rainfall event and have less soil erosion. Soil texture spacing ft depth ft clay clay loam average loam fine sandy loam sandy loam peat and muck irrigated soils 30 50 39 69 59 98 98 120 98 197 98 295 148 590 3 0 3 6 3 0.

Drain depth spacing table varies with soil permeability crop and soil management practices kind of crop extent of surface drainage. The drainage coefficient is defined as the depth of water to remove from the soil in 24 hours. Tile drainage will make a difference on your farm. Well designed tile systems that follow field contours and provide uniform drainage are the norm today.