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Conserving nutrients while protecting water quality

A conservation consultant says managing subsurface drainage fields leads to improved water quality but it’s not something most farmers do.

Tom VanWagner, who consults with the Lenawee Conservation District in Michigan’s southeast, tells Brownfield he’s helping farmers counteract nutrient runoff by retrofitting existing field tile lines.  “This is where we locate what they call a drainage structure in the appropriate spot, so they can manage the water table in their fields through their tile line.”

He says farmers open and close tile gates throughout the year as part of their farm management practices which ultimately keeps more available nutrients in the field.  “What they’re finding out is that they can reduce 50 percent of the nutrient loading going out of tile lines if you manage the tile water right.”

VanWagner says when managed properly, farmers can also see increases of 5-7 percent in corn yields and 3-5 percent yield gains in soybeans.

AUDIO: Interview with Tom VanWagner (6:10 mp3):