On Farm Drainage/Subsurface
Irrigation Demo
Gerald Bryan
UM Extension Agronomist
Jackson, MO
Laser Controlled Tile Installation at
Lorberg Farm, Cape Girardeau County
Need for Drainage

Low Yields
– 85 bushel corn yield average last 4 crops
– Drained sites yield double
– High yield – 170 bu.
Late planting dates
 Poor weed control
 $$$$$ Loss

Project Goals
Better drain the existing wet soil profile.
 Provide opportunistic subsurface irrigation
by tapping into existing permanent springs
adjacent to the field.
 Increase economic return=higher yields

Laser Controlled Tile Plow
This sucker
oughta dig some
potatoes!
Existing Springs Utilized for
Irrigation Water Source

Snake!!


Several existing springs
were connected to the
system.
Spring flow was about 27
gallons per minute, or 2.8
inches of available water
per acre per month over
the whole field.
Maximum of 8.4 inches of
water available for
delivery over a 90 day
irrigation system
Observed maximum of 1.2’ of upward
water movement before the 4” line was
installed, at the manifold
Cross Section of Field
Drainage System in Operation
Stoplog boards are removed and
excess water moves into pipes
and is transported from field.
Irrigation System in Operation
Stoplog boards are inserted to the same
elevation as the lower plant roots. Water
soaks out of the pipe and flows upward
to the plant roots.
Preparing to install 4” line from the
6” manifold
The manifold was a 6” corrugated plastic tubing.
The drain/irrigation lines were 4” slot cut
corrugated plastic tubing, on 30’ centers,
buried about 38” deep.
Installation was very accurate and controlled.
Average speed was about 3 feet/second
I can’t believe
I dropped my
annual report
in there….
Lorberg Controlled Drainage Project
The goal was to economically install drain lines that remove excess soil
profile water and also be able to provide controlled subsurface irrigation.
Lorberg Controlled Drainage Project

Two weir boxes
provided the ability to
“perch” the water table
to the desired
elevation during the
irrigation season.
Lorberg Controlled Drainage Project

Photo at left shows the
manifold outlet, then the
weir box. The 6”
manifold runs along the
west field edge. This
photo, taken after a rain,
illustrates the rapid field
drainage after installation.
Dry centers indicate 4”
drain locations.
eld planted Late April
Planted same day
May 24, 2004
Field after planting May 24, 2004
Lorberg Controlled Drainage Project

Groundwater wells
monitored water levels
during the growing
season. A total lack of
spring outflow
indicated that the crop
was using all of the
water supplied to the
tile system.
Preliminary Results


The drainage component worked very well in
2004 and was heavily tested by a wet June.
The irrigation component also performed well.
We are sure that the spring flow will not provide
total crop needs during a typical dry year. It
should still provide significant crop yield increases
over the “no irrigation” alternative.
Preliminary Results

2004 was a good crop
year. An adjacent field
with identical soils and
drainage problems
yielded 125 bushels of
corn/acre.

The newly drained
field was the subject
of a closely measured
test plot. It averaged
201 bushels/acre.
Corn Yields
4 year average= 85 Bushels
 2004 Averages

–
–
–
–
Drained Field
Undrained Field same day
April Planted Field
Hill Corn – April
200.1 Bu./A.
121.0 Bu./A.
135.0 Bu/A
150+ Bu/A.
Preliminary Economic Results



The project cost a maximum of $608/acre, total
installation cost. Annual O&M costs are nearly
zero.
With a 20 year lifespan, 75 bushel/acre yield
increase, $2.25/bushel marginal corn valuation,
and 8% interest rate, the present value of the
installation is $1656
On a cash flow basis, the installation cost is
recovered in 3 years.
Landowner Comments
Yield increases were impressive and
indicate the project has sound economics.
 The landowner is planning to install
additional drainage/irrigation acreage.
 Future installations should be less labor
intensive and even more economical as we
put this year’s field experience to use.

Regional Application Comments



This type of drainage/irrigation system can be
installed in areas with permeable topsoil underlaid
by a low permability clay layer.
Hubble Creek, Williams Creek, and several other
small-floodplain creeks seem to have more
applicable acreage than originally anticipated.
Three other farmers are planning installations in
2005.
That darn Agronomist and NRCS
guy said this would pay for all
this work in 3-years…..What
IDIOTS !!!
Thanks to John and Jeff Lorberg, Farm owner/operators, Gordonville and Mark Nussbaum , NRCS