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

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

3. 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

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

5. Discussion included –Reasons for subsurface tiling Increased precipitation Higher water table Earlier access to fields North Dakota Annual Precipitation History 1900 - 2000

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

7. 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

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

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

10. 19 sites 2 lift stations 17 gravity flow 170 mile round trip 32 weeks

12. 385428 Wheat Installed 2007 Acres drained 275 Lift Station

13. 385428

14. 385438 Corn North of Erie

15. 385438 June 2008

16. 385444 Perched drain Corn Durbin Maple River

17. 385444

18. 385454 Alfalfa Corn Emden

19. 385454

20. December 5,2009

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

31. Phase II2009 7 COUNTIES SAMPLE 1 TILE DRAIN FOR WATER QUALITY ONLY CASS COUNTY INSTALLS AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT FOR FLOW RATE, WATER QUALITY, AND PRECIPITATION

32. Phase II2010 4 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

33. Phase II 2009-2013 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.

34. Phase II 2009-2013 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

35. Phase II 2009-2013 Funding: North Dakota State Water Commission Cass County Soil Conservation District EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution CSREES Northern Plains Regional Water Quality Program

36. Red River Valley Tile Drainage Water Quality Assessment Questions?