Roxanne Johnson Extension Water Quality Associate February 24, 2009 Tile Drainage Forum NDSU

Overview of Project –Focus Group –Funding –Cooperators –Preliminary Results –What’s next?

Focus Group – April 2008 –Land owners –Tile drain installers –County, State and Federal Agencies County Water board members Soil Conservation District board members and technicians Health Department NRCS RC&D members State Water Commission –NDSU Engineers Soil Scientists Hydrologists

Discussion included –Acres tile drained Do we really know? –Permitting Authority Based on what? –Impacts Water Quality & Quantity Neighbors -Red River – Lake Winnipeg

Discussion included –Reasons for subsurface tiling Increased precipitation Higher water table Earlier access to fields North Dakota Annual Precipitation History

Discussion included –Reasons for subsurface tiling Increased salinity Calcium carbonate Magnesium sulfate Sodium sulfate Franzen 2007

Roxanne Johnson – Extension Water Quality Associate Thomas Scherer – Extension Agricultural Engineer Steve Fischer – Lake Agassiz RC&D Coordinator Red River Valley Tile Drainage Water Quality Assessment Phase I

Funding 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution ND Department of Health Fargo and Bismarck Cass County Soil Conservation District CSREES Northern Plains & Mountains Regional Water Program

Cooperators –10 land owner/operators Tile maps Cropping and fertilizer history Soil tests Precipitation

19 sites 2 lift stations 17 gravity flow 170 mile round trip 32 weeks

Wheat Installed 2007 Acres drained 275 Lift Station

385428

Corn North of Erie

June 2008

Perched drain Corn Durbin Maple River

385444

Alfalfa Corn Emden

385454

December 5,2009

Phase I Yet to do: Assess data Determine information and education for landowners and general public

Phase II COUNTIES SAMPLE 1 TILE DRAIN FOR WATER QUALITY ONLY CASS COUNTY INSTALLS AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT FOR FLOW RATE, WATER QUALITY, AND PRECIPITATION

Phase II COUNTIES CONTINUE SAMPLING 1 TILE DRAIN FOR WATER QUALITY GRAND FORKS, RICHLAND, AND SARGENT COUNTIES INSTALL AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT FOR FLOW RATE, WATER QUALITY, AND PRECIPITATION

Phase II Water quality samples taken at Drain or lift station (automated sampler) Downstream location within a mile from the tile outlet Surface runoff of tiled field (automated sampler) Surface runoff of comparable un-tiled field Flow measurements taken at Drain or lift station (flume/weir) Surface runoff of tiled field (in automated sampler) Soils must be salt affected Soil Samples at 4 sites Rain gauges – Automated or Dewey To determine the effect tile drain effluent from saline soils has on water quality in tributaries of the Red River.

Phase II Project Coordinators and Partners: Work with SCD’s to locate proper sites for sampling Meet with producers as needed Build and/or install equipment Coordinate training of sample collectors and oversee the collection and transportation of samples to the ND Dept of Health Download data from the automated equipment at sites Develop BMPs for landowners Prepare and present results of the assessment to the public

Phase II Funding: North Dakota State Water Commission Cass County Soil Conservation District EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution CSREES Northern Plains Regional Water Quality Program

Red River Valley Tile Drainage Water Quality Assessment Questions?