2002 Annual Report
Research
Feasibility and Performance of Subsurface Drainage in Northwest Minnesota
Gary Sands, Assistant Professor
Changxing Jin, Research Associate
Bradley Hansen, Assistant Scientist
Jochum Wiersma, Assistant Professor and Small Grains Specialist, Agronomy
and Plant Genetics
Terrance Hurley, Assistant Professor, Applied Economics
Zach Fore, Extension Cropping Systems Specialist, Northwestern Minnesota
Hans Kandel, Extension Educator, Red Lake County
Funding Source
Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Rapid Agricultural Response
Fund; Wheat Research & Promotion Council; Prinsco, Inc.; Field Drainage,
Inc.; University of Minnesota Extension Service; University of Minnesota
Northwest Research and Outreach Center
Objective
Determine the crop response, hydrologic, water quality, and agronomic
impacts of subsurface drainage for wheat, soybeans, and sugarbeets in
northwest Minnesota.
Project Description
The 1990s was the wettest decade on record for much of northwestern Minnesota.
Catastrophic flooding and prolonged wet periods caused significant damage
to agricultural production. In a region where surface drainage has historically
been the only means of removing excess water, producers are increasingly
beginning to consider subsurface drainage as a water management tool.
Drainage research and demonstration sites were established on cooperating
farms in Brooks, Minnesota, and Hunter, North Dakota, as well as the Northwestern
Research and Outreach Center in Crookston, Minnesota. Researchers are
investigating the response of a wheat-soybean-sugarbeet crop rotation
to subsurface drainage. Three drainage spacings are being evaluated compared
to undrained conditions. The drain spacings correspond to 1/4-, 1/2- and
3/4-inch of water removal per 24-hour period. Automated measurement of
soil moisture and temperature, watertable depth, drainage flow, and annual
crop yield will be conducted over a three-year period. In addition, the
hydrologic impacts of drainage will be assessed by simulating rainfall
on portions of the drainage systems and monitoring surface runoff. Soil
moisture measurements will be used to estimate field trafficability during
spring and fall field operations. Grab sampling will be performed for
water quality measurements. Observed drainage flow, soil moisture, crop
yield, and watertable height will be used to calibrate and validate a
computer drainage model to simulate crop response to drainage over a long
climatic record.
Results
Crop yield, soil moisture and temperature, and water table and drainage flow data have been collected during the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons. Crops showed a modest to strong response to drainage during these two years. Economics are being evaluated and computer simulation has been initiated to estimate crop yield response to drainage for other soil types and over long climatic records.