Sub-surface drainage is an important part of agriculture in Iowa. A day-long workshop on March 11 will focus on current topics of interest that have emerged around farmland drainage. The Iowa Farmland Drainage Workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the V.F.W. Post in Osage, in northeast Iowa.

DRAINAGE UPDATE: The importance of all aspects of sub-surface drainage will be discussed March 11 at a day-long workshop in northeast Iowa. Register now to reserve your spot at this event and get updated on farmland drainage management and related issues.

The morning session will focus on sub-surface drainage design concepts, wetland determinations, the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and the long-term benefits of tiling. Afternoon session will include discussions on economics, nutrient cycling in soils, controlled drainage, bioreactors, saturated buffers and managing drainage water quality with wetlands. Legal issues related to tiling and Iowa drainage laws also will be covered.

New technology can help minimize negative environmental impact
The workshop will also inform and instruct attendees about environmental impacts and new technologies that may be useful in minimizing negative environmental impacts.  

“This program will provide information essential for designing and planning a new drainage system or retrofitting an existing system on your farmland,” says Kapil Arora, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension. Located at Nevada in central Iowa, he is the overall coordinator for the upcoming workshop at Osage. He held a similar workshop at Nevada earlier this year.

Additional speakers include Kelvin Leibold, farm management specialist with ISU Extension; Matt Helmers, professor and ISU Extension ag engineer in ISU Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering; Mike Castellano, ISU agronomy professor; Jamie Benning, water quality program manager at ISU Extension, and John Baker, administrator with the Beginning Famer Center at ISU. USDA-NRCS drainage specialist Jim Gertsma and Chris Hay, senior environmental scientist with the Iowa Soybean Association, will also speak at this meeting.

Industry representatives will also be on hand to answer questions
Iowa State University Extension, Iowa Farm Bureau of Mitchell County, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Soybean Checkoff, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and various industry partners are sponsoring the program. Industry representatives from Prinsco, ADS-Hancor, Midwest Plastic Products, and Agri-Drain will be available during the workshop to answer any questions. The workshop qualifies for Certified Crop Advisor credits, which have been applied for.

Registration is $50 before March 7 and $60 after that date. Workshop materials, morning refreshments and lunch are included. Participants can register by completing the form located at extension.iastate.edu/mitchell and making payment to Mitchell County Extension.  For more information, download the workshop brochure or call ISU Extension and Outreach in Mitchell County at 641-732-5574.