AGRICULTUREDoes agricultural drainage affect the Minnesota River?

“Agricultural drainage systems make crop production more successful.” - University of Minnesota Extension

Minnesota River Basin Soils

“Glacial processes in upper Midwest created an abundance of highly productive but poorly drained soils.” Gary R. Sands U of M

Minnesota has more than 21,000 miles of ditches and channelized streams (shown in red), which serve as the drainage infrastructure for the agricultural regions of Minnesota.

Gary R. Sands www.extension.umn..edu

Courtney Thoreson

R. Cooke, University of Illinois

Underground tile drainage

What is Agricultural Drainage?

How are Drainage Systems Implemented

Why do we need drainage?

“Southern Minnesota would not reliably produce such high yields of crops if artificial drainage systems were not installed.”

–Lowell Busman & Gary Sands 

Controlling Agricultural Runoff

IS IT WORTH THE INVESTMENT??

“In recent years, farmers have installed as much as 100 million feet of subsurface drainage pipe in Minnesota

annually.” – Busman & Sands

Laying tile in Brown County, Minnesota

How is Agricultural Drainage Affecting the River?

More and more farmers are expanding their farmlands closer to the river which is altering the rivers path.

Examples of Sub-surface drainage in the Minnesota River Basin

Debate Activity

Muddy WatersDebate Question: is advocating for higher crop yields worth the environmental risks to the worlds’ rivers?

Controlling Farm RunoffDebate Question: is it worth protecting the rivers while giving up large, productive farming practices?

Group 1: Farmers

Group 2: Environmentalists

“Ask-an-Expert about the Minnesota River” profiles scientists and citizens answering questions about the health of the Minnesota River.Produced by the Water Resources Center at Minnesota State University, MankatoTo learn more, visit the Minnesota River Basin Data:mrbdc.mnsu.edu/learn