Various aspects of farmland drainage will be the focus of a daylong workshop March 30 in northern Iowa. To be held at the Zion Lutheran Church in Humboldt, the program is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

“This workshop is being offered due to the increased interest in the drainage main upgrades the past year,” says Kapil Arora, agricultural engineering specialist with Iowa State University Extension. 

The morning session will focus on drainage design concepts, USDA wetland compliance, nutrient cycling in soils, and discussions on controlled drainage, bioreactors, saturated buffers and management drainage water quality with wetlands. 

The afternoon session will include discussions on economics of tiling, drainage laws and drainage district main upgrades. The day will conclude with a presentation and discussion on long-term benefits of tiling. 

Evaluating existing systems 

Attendees will learn information essential to upgrade drainage mains for an existing system in their field, while also learning about the environmental impacts of drainage systems. New technologies for drainage systems will also be discussed. 

ISU speakers include Arora; Kelvin Leibold, farm management specialist with ISU Extension; Matt Helmers, director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at ISU; and Mike Castellano, an ISU associate professor of agronomy. 

Jim Hudson Jr., with the Hudson Law Firm, will explain Iowa drainage laws and cover issues of importance to drainage districts. Don Corrington, a farmland drainage specialist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa, will discuss wetland compliance when drainage is planned. Chris Hay, senior manager of production systems with the Iowa Soybean Association, will talk about drainage water quality practices and managed drainage. 

Get questions answered 

Industry representatives include Iowa Farm Bureau of Humboldt County, Bank Iowa, Pro Cooperative, Northwest Bank and various others. Industry representatives will be on hand to answer questions and explain their farmland drainage products and services. Companies exhibiting their products and services will include Prinsco, Timewell Drainage, Agri Drain and ADS.  

The registration fee is $40 before March 26, and $50 thereafter. Workshop materials, morning refreshments and lunch are included in the fee. Registration can be made by completing the form in the brochure and by making payment to the ISU Extension and Humboldt County office. If paying with a credit card, call 515-576-2119 to register. 

The workshop qualifies for certified crop adviser credits. For more information, download the Humboldt location drainage workshop brochure or call the ISU Extension and Outreach Humboldt County office at 515-332-2201. 

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