Feb 12, 2024: CANCID: Tile Drainage Management

Time: Feb 12, 2025 – 12 PM Mountain

Speaker: Steven Frey

Topic: Tile Drainage and Tile Drainage Management Influences on Groundwater and Surface Water

Description:

Tile drainage management is considered a beneficial management practice (BMP) for reducing nutrient loads in surface water. Research has shown that controlling tile discharge via control structures with adjustable stop gates can be very effective for reducing tile discharge volume, and that on an annualized basis there is often a reduction in nutrient losses that is proportional to the reduction in discharge. However, the influence of controlled drainage on groundwater resources is rarely considered. In this presentation we will discuss tile drainage experiments that were conducted in Ontario, Canada, that were designed to assess the influence of drainage management on the movement of nutrients and chemical tracers to surface water and groundwater under controlled (CD) and free drainage (FD) tile management. We will also present results from 2-dimensional dual-permeability modeling that was conducted to help develop a better understanding of the flow and transport processes within the soil profile and shallow groundwater system under different drainage management scenarios. Results from the modeling demonstrate that dominant flow and transport characteristics at the field site were successfully replicated, including higher, more continuous tile discharge and lower peak tracer concentrations in FD tile effluent; as compared to CD, where discharge was intermittent but peak concentrations were higher. Explicit representation of preferential flow in the modeling work was essential, as macropores were shown to transmit > 98 % of surface infiltration, tile flow, and tile nutrient loads for both FD and CD. Results show that while CD can reduce tile discharge and soluble nutrient loads and concentrations in tile effluent and hence surface water receptors, it can also promote NO3 loading into groundwater.

Webinar Series Information:

The Canadian Committee on Irrigation and Drainage is excited to announce their 2024/2025 webinar series. Join us for a variety of topics.

Mark your calendars for the following dates and check back in regularly for updates on speakers and topics.

Apr 9, 2025 – 12 PM Mountain

Jun 11, 2025 – 12 PM Mountain