Researchers say tile drainage helps farm productivity, raises water‑quality questions

Summary

UVM researchers and extension staff told the committee that tile drainage has become more common as Vermont gets wetter, boosts yields and enables conservation practices but can mobilize phosphorus; experimental field filters and an on‑farm paired watershed study are underway to measure net water‑quality effects.

Researchers and extension staff told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry Committee that tile drainage is being adopted by Vermont farms to manage wetter conditions, improve yields and enable conservation practices, while raising questions about phosphorus transport and mitigation.

Joshua (researcher) described rising precipitation trends and said farmers focused on tile drainage after wetter conditions intensified following Tropical Storm Irene. He explained how modern tile — corrugated plastic pipe installed beneath the root zone — lowers water tables, improves trafficability and generally increases yields and consistency. “Tile drainage tends to reduce the peak flows of water from a field,” Joshua said, describing literature showing a dampened hydrograph and a modest increase (10–20%) in annual water leaving a drained field.

Heather Darby, part…

Researchers say tile drainage helps farm productivity, raises water‑quality questions

Summary

Subscribe to keep reading