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Published byDorthy Bradley Modified over 9 years ago
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Drainage Methods, Laws and Legislation Project Presentation from 2001 used for notes 2002
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Overview 1) Methods of Drainage 2) Drainage Effects on Water Quality 3) Laws and Regulations for Drainage
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Introduction Purpose: – to remove excess water Benefits: – Reduced salinity under irrigation – Reduced soil erosion – Better seed germination and establishment – Better plant growth, health, and yield – Less wear and tear on machinery – Early seeding date and more flexibility
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Methods of Drainage An agricultural system of draining fields commonly consists of: 1) A Field Drainage System 2) A Main Drainage System move water from field system to outlet 3) An Outlet terminal point of discharge into open water system
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Field Drainage System Removes excess water from soil: – use of one or more drains – possible use of pump to promote flow Two main types of systems common 1) Subsurface drainage 2) Surface drainage Type of system chosen depends on problems present
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Subsurface Drainage Used on soils where excess water easily infiltrates into ground, raising the water table – ie: sandy soils under irrigation soils with high water table Three main field drains used; 1) Pipe Drains 2) Deep Ditches 3) Well Pumping
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Subsurface Drainage 1) Pipe Drain Systems Most common method in temperate agriculture Used for salinity control for irrigation System consists of field and collector drains – single-sided entry collector pipes – double-sided entry collector pipes – Singular system – Composite system
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Subsurface Drainage 1) Pipe Drain Systems Three common layouts: – 1) Natural system common when a few larger depressions present – 2) Herringbone system common when more smaller depressions present on sloping land where only partial drainage required – 3) Parallel grid system fairly level and uniform fields with uniformly high water table
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Subsurface Drainage 1) Pipe Drain Systems Pipe drain materials: – concrete and clay tile – concrete pipe – corrugated metal pipe – bituminous-fibre pipe – plastic pipe Option of pipe envelope
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Subsurface Drainage 2) Deep Ditch System Ditches can be used to remove excess ground and surface water Cheaper to install Deep ditches restrict machinery operations Loss of up to 10% land with ditches Higher maintenance required to maintain good grade for discharge
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Subsurface Drainage 3) Pump Drainage Not very common, effective under one or more of following conditions: – flat land with high water table – permeable aquifers exists – aquifer deep enough for installation of well – ground water under artesian pressure – ground water high quality for irrigation – cheap power
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Surface Drainage Used on agricultural land with high tendency of water ponding due to slow infiltration rate – fine textured soils – impermeable soil layer close to surface – land unevenness causing collection in depressions
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Surface Drainage Drainage commonly through open ditch systems or mole systems Four types of open shallow ditch systems: 1) Depression ditch 2) Parallel non-passable ditch 3) Parallel passable ditch 4) Cross-slope ditch
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Surface Drainage - Open Ditch Systems 1) Depression ditch system: – fields with limited number of pronounced, elongated depressions – depressions drained individually or connected 2) Parallel non-passable ditch system: – fields that are fairly flat to highly uneven – ditches run parallel in field, spaced to amount of water collected – ditches non-passable with machinery
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Surface Drainage - Open Ditch Systems 3) Parallel passable ditch system: – soils with similar characteristics as parallel non- passable ditch system – ditches passable with machinery 4) Cross-slope ditch system: – applicable to gently sloping land – ditches placed perpendicular to slope – land cultivated down slope
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Surface Drainage - Mole Systems Used for soils with impermeable soil layers, allowing shallow drainage of excess water Mole plough pulled behind tractor creating tunnels Promotes shallow flow of water
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Drainage Effects on Water Quality Reasons for drainage of cropland Need for concern Contamination of water bodies – rivers, creeks, estuaries
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Nutrients Nitrate (NO 3 - ) tied up in water through runoff from surface Subsurface leaching through soil profile Tolerable to rate when weeds stimulated to grow
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Nutrients Phosphorus (PO 4 -2 ) Tolerable to 0.05mg/L
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Chemicals Herbicide residue – ends up in water bodies Pesticides – DDT scare
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Aquatic Life Major concern as microorganisms are very important Mutations, disease and death of aquatic animals
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Rainfall Intensity and duration of rainfall can wash contaminants down drainage ditch/canal Excess rainfall – Surface drainage – Subsurface drainage
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Salinity Concern as salt can move from one area to another High water table years
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Drainage Laws and Legislation Legislation History Present Day Drainage Approval Process Drainage Complaints
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Legislation History – “Common Law doctrine” – hindered any drainage schemes that would involve the deposit of excess water into a water course or neighbor’s property – flowing water a common resource, not an article of property – did not work well
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North West Territories Irrigation Act - 1894 – Government retained ownership of water – only people who have a title from crown grant before 1894 can have possession today – Crown owns virtually all bodies of water, past and present
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Water Rights Act of 1931 – First regulatory water resource statute – Transferred jurisdiction from federal to provincial – after amendments, all drainage projects need license – can now sue for losses incurred
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Drainage Control Act of 1980 – Prohibits the construction or continued operation of any drainage systems without a permit – replaced all common law – provided a mechanism for settling disputes – lacked resources for proper enforcement
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Water Corporation Act - 1984 – Better known as “Sask. Water” – monitors and grants permits for drainage, irrigation and all other uses – still a lot of unapproved drainage
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“No person shall commence the construction, alteration, or operation of any works unless he/she has first obtained the written approval of Sask. Water to do so”
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But you can…... channel clear consolidate sloughs install culverts
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Drainage Approval Process Pick up application return with $ review for potential conflicts surveying advertise intentions “Approval to Construct Works” “Approval to Operate Works”
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Drainage Complaints make a “reasonable effort” to resolve conflict informal complaint formal complaint with $ notice of filing investigation (topographic surveys, hydrology study, final report)
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Drainage complaints (cont’d) formal hearing (if requested) final decision ruling passed and compliance is mandatory
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