Drainage water management for water quality protection

L and drainage has been central to the development of North America since colonial times, with the first organized drainage efforts occurring as early as the 1600s (Evans et al. 1996). Drainage has been encouraged to improve public highways, reduce public health risks, promote increased crop yield and reduced yield variability, reduce surface runoff and erosion, and increase land value. Agricultural drainage includes artificial subsurface drainage and surface drainage. Most agricultural producers improve the drainage on their land for better trafficability, to enhance field conditions, to facilitate timely planting and harvesting operations, and to help decrease crop damage from saturated soil and standing water during the growing season. Agricultural drainage improvement also decreases year-to-year variability in crop yield, ensuring consistent production.