Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Group: The committee held its second annual meeting on August 15, 16, and 17, 2005 in coordination with the ADMSTF (Ag. Drainage Management Systems Task Force) meeting held at the same location on August 17 and 18, 2005. Individual Station Reports: IA- Iowa State University, submitted by Matt Helmers. Recent research and extension efforts at Iowa State University relative to drainage design and management practices to improve water quality have centered on nutrient export from tile drainage systems and nutrient management practices to minimize this export of nutrients, specifically nitrate-nitrogen. In addition, work is beginning on evaluating drainage management practices and cropping practices as to their impacts on drainage volume and drainage water quality. Also, historic data has been and is being summarized to evaluate the temporal variation in subsurface drainage. Unlike some drained landscapes, in Iowa the majority (~70%) of the annual drainage flow occurs in the months of April, May, and June. This occurrence creates challenges when considering management of the drainage outflow since during this time period of the year it is essential that drainage be maximized to ensure crop production. Work is beginning on an EPA Targeted Watershed project evaluating drainage water management in north-central Iowa and how to best manage the system to reduce drainage outflow while minimizing the risk to crop production. Extension work has focused on disseminating information relative to drainage water quality and economic design of drainage systems. This has included statewide, regional, and local programming events. Impacts. A drainage field day as part of this programming was attended by over 70 stakeholders in the north-central part of Iowa. The research and extension efforts in the area of drainage water quality have had an impact in educating stakeholders about the environmental benefits of proper fertilizer application. In addition this work has led to a better understanding that animal manure can serve as an effective fertilizer source while having comparable environmental impacts. Another outcome from this programming was that stakeholders received information about emerging drainage design considerations that take into account the environmental and economic aspects of drainage. Evaluations from regional Crop Advantage Series meetings indicated attendees learned about effective tile spacing for economic and environmental considerations. IA- ARS National Soil Tilth Lab, Ames, submitted by Dan Jaynes. To better tailor N fertilizer application to crop need, there is growing interest in applying N to corn at mid-season. While the yield benefits of this practice are mixed, little information is available as to the impacts of mid-season N application on water quality. We compared grain yields and nitrate losses in drainage water as a result of applying N either once at emergence or equally split between emergence and mid-season. Nitrogen treatments consisted of 138 and 69 kg ha-1 applied at emergence and 69 kg ha-1 applied at emergence and again at mid-season. Grain yield for corn and soybean, grown in a 2-yr rotation, and drainage water nitrate were measured on replicated tile-drained plots within a producers field from 2000 through 2003. Corn grain yields for the mid-season treatment (10.27 Mg ha-1) was significantly greater than the other treatments (9.27  9.56 Mg ha-1) in 2000. In 2002, the mid-season N application increased yield compared to the single 69 kg ha-1 treatment (11.62 compared to 10.70 Mg ha-1) but was less than the yield when 138 kg ha-1 was applied all at emergence (12.42 Mg ha-1). There was no carry over treatment effect on soybean yields. Nitrate concentrations in tile drainage were consistently greater for the mid-season treatment than the equivalent rate applied all at emergence. Over the four years, the mean flow weighted concentrations were 8.6, 13.4, and 15.2 mg L-1 for the 69, 138 and 69 plus 69 kg ha-1 mid-season N rates, respectively. While mid-season N application may be beneficial for recovering some yield potential in corn, the practice does not appear to benefit water quality when compared to a single application at emergence. Impacts. The presentation Tile Drainage and Nitrate Reduction was given at the On-Farm Conservation and Water Quality Field Day, Ames, IA, 24 August 2004. The following articles were written about this drainage research: Tile fix reduces nitrates Wallaces Farmer, Feb., 2005; Momentum Builds for Controlled Drainage Farm Journal, February, 2005; Fields within a field Pioneer Growing Point Mar., 2005. IL- University of Illinois, No report available. IN- Purdue University, submitted by Eileen Kladivko and Jane Frankenberger. On-farm trials of drainage water management have been implemented on three private farms in west-central Indiana and the Davis Purdue Agriculture Center (Davis PAC), a university research farm in eastern Indiana. On each farm, two treatments are being compared: controlled drainage and conventional drainage. Drain flow is monitored and combined with weekly nitrate sampling to determine the impacts on nitrate load using a paired watershed statistical approach. Soil physical properties, earthworms, plant growth and plant N content data for each paired site have been measured to assess potential impacts on agricultural sustainability. On-farm management practice profitability is also being analyzed, including equipment and labor costs and management practice investment risk assessment. The project will continue for at least three years. The long-term drainage study in southeastern Indiana was continued. Ten-yr continuous corn yields showed timeliness benefits of tile drainage in some years, which contributed to increased yields compared to undrained control plots. Although average yield benefits were small, we expect yield improvements would be greater on typical producer fields, due to less-than-perfect surface drainage in larger fields and to greater timeliness benefits with larger acreages to manage. Manual water table and piezometer measurements from the project period are being analyzed in various ways, including drawdown curve shape with distance from the tile for different tile spacings and well vs. piezometer data. Infiltration and saturated conductivity measurements from different soil horizons and methods are being compared and further analyzed. Soil carbon measured after 18 years of drain spacing history show little difference in carbon content except in the 0-5cm depth. Impacts: A drainage management field day was held in conjunction with the installation of control structures at Davis-Purdue Agricultural Center, which included talks and demonstrations of drainage management benefits, on-site drainage management research, Global Positioning System elevation mapping for drainage system design and installation, and cost-share options for drainage management through the USDA-NRCS. Hundreds of farmers and contractors have been informed about drainage water management through the field day and additional presentations and workshops around the state. LA- ARS, Baton Rouge, no report available. MD- University of Maryland, submitted by Ken Staver. Reducing subsurface nitrate losses from cropland has proven to be one of the most vexing problems in the effort to restore Chesapeake Bay. Since subsurface nitrate discharge is the dominant form of N loss from most agriculturally dominated watersheds in the Coastal Plain, the lack of success in reducing subsurface nitrate loads has resulted in failure to meet overall N reduction goals. Since the restoration effort began in the late 1980s, no apparent reduction in nonpoint source N loads from cropland has been observed, despite projected reductions by watershed modeling efforts. The majority of drainage enhancement in Maryland has been achieved with high density networks of surface ditches that mostly were dug in mid 1900s, some quite a bit earlier. In some areas drainage enhancement consists primarily of deepening of natural drainage patterns, while in other areas closely spaced parallel ditch networks were dug into areas with high water tables or low permeability soils. In most areas where drainage has been enhanced, grain production would not otherwise be possible. Until recently, efforts to reduce N losses from cropland have focused on encouraging more efficient timing of N applications and economically optimum application rates. However, as it has become apparent that improved management of inputs alone will be insufficient to achieve N reduction goals, the focus of the reduction strategy has broadened to include widespread use of winter cover crops and management of riparian areas and drainage systems. A task force convened in 2000 to assess the potential for enhancing nutrient retention in drainage systems identified increasing retention time of drainage water as the key tenant for increasing nutrient attenuation potential. The obvious contradiction is that the primary purpose of drainage systems is to enhance the removal of water to increase agricultural productivity. The challenge is to find approaches to slow the removal of water by drainage systems while minimizing negative effects on crop production. Widespread production of wheat limits options for restricting drainage in late winter and early spring when flows typically are highest. Recently, limited cost-share funding has been made available for water control structures for slowing discharge and manipulating water table elevations in artificially drained watersheds. However, thus far only limited data has been collected in Maryland on how this practice affects nutrient losses. There is a major UMD/ARS collaborative research project underway on the lower Eastern Shore in which the dynamics of nutrient transport in ditched systems is being studied intensively. Although results are preliminary, findings thus far suggest the potential for high rates of dissolved P delivery into ditch networks in areas with elevated soil P concentrations. Several ongoing projects are addressing the potential for attenuation of subsurface nitrate loads in riparian areas. Establishment of riparian buffers has been a major goal of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort but relatively little information exists regarding what vegetation types are most effective for capturing nitrate moving through shallow groundwater. An ongoing lysimeter study at the UMD Wye Research and Education Center is evaluating the ability of various grasses recommended for planting in riparian buffers to utilize nitrate in shallow groundwater. A recently initiated CSREES funded project is evaluating the role of denitrification in attenuation of subsurface nitrate loads in Coastal Plain watersheds. The eventual goal of both of these projects is to optimize the design and placement of riparian buffers so as to maximize attenuation of nitrate moving from up gradient cropland through subsurface flow. MI- Michigan State University, submitted by Bill Northcott. In the summer/fall of 2004 a constructed wetland/subirrigation system designed to treat and dispose of farmstead/silage pad runoff and daily milkhouse water was installed at Bakerlads Farm near Hudson Michigan. This project was designed and funded in a joint effort between the Lenawee County Conservation District, Michigan NRCS, Michigan DEQ, MSU Agricultural Engineering Dept. and Dr. Bud Belcher. The treatment system begins with a 2.2 million gallon earthen storage structure designed by MI NRCS to collect surface runoff from the 2.87 acre farmstead and silage pad area and receive milkhouse water. Runoff water is pumped into the structure after passing through a settling basin. Dairy milkhouse water (approximately 1000 gallons per day) is pumped into the structure. Overall the structure is designed to contain a years worth of wastewater. During the growing season, wastewater is either gravity drained or pumped from the storage structure to the constructed wetland developed by Bill Northcott, which is designed with three cells, two open ponds separated by a vegetative gravel filter. The first open pond is designed to promote settling of remaining solids, the vegetative filter is designed to remove BOD and act as a physical filter, and the final open pond is designed to act as a reservoir for the subirrigation system. The wetland retention time is approximately 8 days when the subirrigation system is delivering water at the maximum ET rate. The subirrigation system was designed by Bud Belcher and consists of seven different zones, allowing for subirrigation between 8 and 20 acres. The system can operate as a closed loop, allowing for normal drainage water to either drain back into the wetland or be pumped back to the wastewater storage structure. Monitoring for the entire system, including groundwater was installed. This year marked the first growing season that the system was operational. While the data has not been compiled yet, operationally the system appears to be successful. Available data and information shows that during the first summer the constructed wetland significantly reduced TSS and odor and total phosphorus was reduced from an average of about 100 ppm coming into the wetland to about 18 ppm as it exited the wetland to be subirrigated into the crop. Also at Bakerlads farm a field study was initiated to examine the effect of application methods and rates on the movement of liquid dairy manure movement into subsurface drains. In the Spring of 2005, twelve drainage laterals were instruments with circular drainage flumes to monitor flow and to sample drainage water. Drainage water will be sampled for NO3-, NH4+, PO4-3, fecal coliform, e. coli. and COD, Currently, only flow data and occasional samples are being taken from the site to provide background flow characteristics and pollutant concentrations. The first manure applications to the field are planned for late fall of 2005. MN- University of Minnesota, submitted by Gary Sands and Jeffrey Strock. Drainage research continues both at University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Centers (ROC) and on cooperating farms. Eight to 10 faculty at the University of Minnesota and several State agencies are engaged in numerous projects addressing hydrology, water quality and production impacts of subsurface drainage practices. These projects encompass a multitude of scales, (plot to large watershed), and approaches (field, laboratory and computer modeling). Current research topics include (but are not limited to): scavenger crops for minimizing nitrate-N losses; shallow and controlled drainage for minimizing nitrate-N losses; pharmaceutical movement through drained soils; ecological approaches to drainage ditch design/management for water quality; use of remote sensing and vegetative indices to measure crop response to drainage; impacts of combinations of alternative drainage and other conservation practices; preferential flow theory and modeling; assessing the water quality and production impacts of alternative surface inlets, and; modeling soil responses to drainage. Field research at the Southern ROC is investigating the role of drainage depth and spacing on hydrology and nitrate-nitrogen losses from drained lands. Five years of data beginning in 2001 indicates that shallow drainage can reduce seasonal drainage volumes and nitrate-nitrogen losses up to 30 percent, on an annual basis and by 18 percent over a the 5-year period. This research also shows that drain spacing has a similar effect on nitrate-nitrogen losses. When drain spacings designed for a 1.27 cm/day drainage coefficient were cut in half, annual nitrate-nitrogen losses increased by 3 to 26 percent. Installation of several on-farm controlled drainage research/demonstration sites is being conducted in southern Minnesota. Drainage volumes and nitrate-nitrogen losses will be measured at these sites, in addition to crop yield and soil quality parameters. The focal point of soil, water, and nutrient management research and outreach efforts at the Southwest ROC are on developing solutions for soil, water, and nutrient management systems that improve watershed conditions and water quality. Research is specifically targeted toward integrated soil, water, and nutrient management practices that minimize the export of nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, and sediment from fields and watersheds. Research is being conducted at plot, field, and watershed scales. The research addresses three sub-objectives: in-field soil, water, and nutrient management systems; edge-of-field soil, water, and nutrient management systems; and in-stream soil, water, and nutrient management systems. Research project details and results may be viewed at http://swroc.coafes.umn.edu/soilandwater/ In-field soil, water, and nutrient management systems. At the plot and field scale, we are evaluating soil N testing procedures based on the soils nitrogen supplying capacity by estimating mineralizable organic nitrogen; we are also evaluating the spatial variability of available soil nitrogen at the field scale and then using this information as a guide for variable rate nitrogen applications within a field. In addition, at the plot and field scale, we are quantifying the impact of crop rotations and crop management systems (tillage, nutrient rate/source) on soil properties and water quality. Finally, at the field scale, we are investigating the effect of controlled drainage on water quality and quantity, crop yield, and soil physical properties (saturated hydraulic conductivity, drainable porosity, bulk density, and soil water retention characteristics) as well as soil chemical properties (pH, nitrogen, and carbon). In Objective 1, we use plot and field scale experiments to test the hypothesis that biologically active nitrogen associated with microbial biomass will be more sustainable and economically viable than current nitrogen management strategies for site-specific management. We also use plot and field scale experiments to test the hypothesis that modified drainage systems, tillage systems, nutrient placement, and alternative crop rotations improve soil conditions and water quality. NEW Edge of field soil, water, and nutrient management systems. At the field and watershed scale, we will identify key biotic and abiotic processes controlling the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus applied to land as manure, fertilizer, and crop residues; we will then describe biotic and abiotic interactions that control the transfer of nitrogen and phosphorus from soil to water and their subsequent cycling in constructed wetlands. In Objective 2, we will conduct field and watershed scale experiments to test the hypothesis that constructed wetlands can be a viable tool for mitigating loss of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural land in northern climates. In-stream soil, water, and nutrient management systems. At the watershed scale, we are determining how biotic and abiotic processes individually and collectively affect nitrogen and phosphorus transport from soil to water and their subsequent fate in open-ditch systems, relative to natural streams, in agricultural landscapes. We are also determining the effectiveness of open-ditch management strategies (including natural and artificial carbon supplements) and ditch buffers to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loading from agricultural runoff. In Objective 3, we are conducting watershed scale experiments to test the hypothesis that a managed ditch, coupled with improved nutrient and land use management, will result in reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loss from headwater streams. MO- University of Missouri, submitted by Kelly Nelson. The MUDS (MU Drainage and Subirrigation) research was continued in a dry environment in 2005. Polymer coated and non-coated urea research was repeated in 2005. Polymer coated urea improved nitrogen utilization and grain yields when compared to non-coated depending on drainage and irrigation intensity. Water table management using subirrigation has increased corn and soybean grain yields 41 and 16 bu/acre, respectively. Drainage has increased corn and soybean grain yields 24 and 16 bu/acre, respectively. Subsurface drain tile flow rates will be monitored in collaboration with Dr. Richard Cooke. Sensor applied N application technology was demonstrated as a possible method to reduce N loss through subsurface drain tiles with Dr. Peter Scharf and Dr. Ken Suddeth. NC- North Carolina State University, submitted by R. Wayne Skaggs, Mohamed A. Youssef, and Robert O. Evans. Data were collected from two drainage systems near Plymouth, NC to determine the effect of drain depth on losses of NO3--N and OP. Drains in the deep system were 1.5 m deep and 25 m apart while drains in the shallow system were 0.75 m deep and 12.5 m apart. Both plots received swine wastewater applications during the study. Overall, the shallow drain system reduced outflows by 17.8% for the 3 year period. Lower NO3--N concentrations were observed in the shallow groundwater beneath the shallow drain plots compared to the deep drain plots. No significant differences were observed in the NO3--N concentration of the drainage water between the plots. NO3- -N export was reduced by 8.5% at the shallow drain plots during the 3 year study. In contrast, higher OP concentrations were observed in groundwater of the shallow drain plots. OP concentration in the drainage water of the shallow plots was significantly higher than in the deeper plots. OP export from the shallow drain plots was 1.89 kg/ha/yr, 95% increase over the OP export (0.97 kg/ha/yr) from the deep drain plot. The nitrogen model, DRAINMOD-N II, was field-tested using a 6-yr data set (1985-1990) from a drainage study site on a naturally poorly-drained silt loam soil in southeastern Indiana. The site consisted of two blocks (east block and west block), drained using plastic drain tubes installed 0.75 m deep and 5, 10, and 20 m apart. In the spring of each year of the test period, the site was chisel plowed, N fertilized using anhydrous ammonia with nitrification inhibitor, and planted to corn (Zea mays L.). Climatological data were recorded and drain flow rates were measured. Drain flow-proportional water quality samples were collected and analyzed for nitrate concentration. Only the west block was considered in the study. Data from the 20-m spacing plot was used for model calibration and data from the 5- and 10-m spacing plots were used for model validation. Simulation results showed very good agreement between observed and predicted nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) leaching losses. Model Efficiency in predicting monthly NO3-N losses over the 6-yr period was 0.5 for the calibration plot and 0.43 and 0.71 for the two validation plots. Errors in predicting annual NO3-N leaching losses were in the range of 0.3-16.1% for the calibration plot and 1.2-28.9% for the validation plots. Errors in predicting cumulative NO3-N losses over the 6-yr period were remarkably small; 0.3% for the calibration plot and -1.1% and -7.9% for the two validation plots. NY- Cornell University, submitted by Larry Geohring and Tammo Steenhuis. A long-term tile drainage research site at the Cornell University Willsboro Farm adjacent to Lake Champlain in Northeastern New York has been used to study the preferential flow of chemical tracers, pesticides, and most recently, dairy liquid manure slurry. Preferential flow paths have been found to have important implications on tile drain water quality since these flow paths can rapidly transport contaminants that were previously believed to be adsorbed or filtered by the soil to tile drains. Experiments were done to characterize both the preferential and bulk movement of nitrogen when liquid manure was surface applied under different soil moisture and tillage conditions. The breakthrough of ammonia-nitrogen was more rapid when the manure was fall applied under wet season and no-till soil conditions, whereas the nitrification conversion of the ammonia and organic nitrogen in the manure to nitrate-nitrogen appeared to be reduced. When the manure was fall applied following a dry season, nitrate-nitrogen concentrations increased quickly following the manure application, and remained high throughout the following winter and spring. Macro-pores appear to not only influence the bulk movement of nitrogen in manure but also the conversion rates of nitrogen in the manure to different nitrogen forms. During 2005, ongoing work entailed additional analysis and summary of the data from these experiments. Extension efforts during 2005 focused on informing producers, agricultural consultants, and soil and water district personnel regarding the risk of contaminant losses when liquid manure is applied to drained lands. Drainage contractors were also informed of these results, and the potential of designing and installing controlled drainage systems to mitigate potential adverse environmental impacts. OH- Ohio State University, submitted by Larry Brown. Research and demonstration projects that incorporate agricultural constructed wetlands into the farming system (wetland-reservoir-subirrigation-system) for drainage water harvesting, treatment, and recycling continue. Three field-scale sites are being monitored. Recent results show a 20-30% decrease in nitrate concentrations after passing through the wetland system. Data from a three-year study of a coupled-wetland-agroecosystem, using controlled drainage and subirrigation/controlled drainage, are being re-evaluated; preliminary results show nitrate and ammonium load reductions of 20 to 80% in both runoff and subsurface drainage flows, largely attributed to flow reductions and increased nitrogen crop uptake. An improved modeling structure and analysis of subsurface drainage economics, using long-term relative yield results from Drainmod, is being conducted, with future modeling efforts focused on water quality. A modeling analysis using Drainmod is focused on evaluating water table interactions between curtain drains and on-site wastewater treatment systems. A two-day Water Table Management for Engineers" Workshop was conducted with 23 people from across the region participating. A 5-day Overholt Drainage School was conducted with over 85 people attending; sessions focused on laser surveying and topographic mapping, subsurface drainage design, installation, operation and management, with a special session on drainage water management. A drainage water management supplemental practice was included in the Scioto River Basin Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. OH- ARS Soil Drainage Research Unit, submitted by Norman Fausey. Small pull-behind drainage plows evaluated. Evaluation of the accuracy of draintube placement by three small plows pulled by farm tractors under controlled experimental conditions was completed. Accuracy of draintube placement is critical to the proper functioning of agricultural subsurface drains. A graduate student (Nicholas Miller) in the Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department at The Ohio State University conducted field research under the guidance of Dr. Larry C. Brown and in cooperation with the Soil Drainage Research Unit to document the performance of three small plows. These plows were able to hold grade and accurately install subsurface drainage pipes in good installation conditions with experienced operators. In difficult installation conditions, these pull-behind plows lacked features needed to adequately compensate for ground surface and subsurface irregularities to insure accurate drainpipe installation. This information will benefit the plow manufacturers and the farmers who may purchase such equipment, and should lead to improvements in plow design and operator training. Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS). A new set of field plots were installed and are being instrumented at Defiance, OH to study the effects of drain depth and spacing on the hydrology and water quality effects of controlled drainage. The treatments include 2-in diameter drains at 10 and 20 ft spacings at 2 ft depth and 4-in drains at 20 and 40 ft spacings at 3 ft depth. Instrumentation will be in place by the end of 2005. At the Hoytville site, the water management treatments were changed by eliminating the subirrigated treatment and implementing a controlled drainage treatment with the overflow set at the 2 foot depth. The three treatments will now consist of free drainage, controlled drainage at 1 foot depth, and controlled drainage at 2 foot depth. In Illinois, 6 locations have been instrumented to compare the hydrology and water quality from controlled and free drainage fields operated by farmers. Two more locations will be instrumented before the end of 2005. To date, 420 samples have been analyzed for nitrate, ammonia, and total nitrogen. Flooding Tolerance of Plants. A genome-wide comparative analysis of gene expression in wild-type and flood-tolerant transgenic Arabidosis plants that were exposed to complete submergence for 1, 2, 6, 12, 24 hours, 3 and 5 days was completed. This research identified novel transcription factors (TFs) associated with submergence stress and presented the first comprehensive description of the temporal pattern of TFs and their networks activated by submergence stress. Since TFs regulate the expression of the genome, this work contributes to current knowledge of the control mechanisms of gene response to submergence and aid the development of submergence tolerant plants. Locating Drains. Two articles were published on ground penetrating radar (GPR) drainage pipe detection, one with respect to agricultural settings and the other for golf courses. The golf course drainage pipe detection paper required additional data to be collected late in the summer of 2004. Partial results of an investigation regarding shallow hydrology effects on electromagnetic induction measured soil electrical conductivity were published in a peer-reviewed book chapter. Preliminary results for the GPR-infrared remote sensing drainage pipe detection comparison, funded by the USDA/ARS-SDRU, were provided by the U.S. Geological Survey in November 2004. Work will continue on refining the interpretations of these results. The Soil Drainage Research Unit participated with The Ohio State University (OSU) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in getting a test plot installed at the OSU Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory to be used for assessing and demonstrating the capability of near-surface geophysical methods to locate buried infrastructure. SD- South Dakota State University, submitted by Hal D Werner and Todd P. Trooien. Ultrasonic sensors are being tested for use in measuring water levels in piezometers and monitoring wells. The system tested includes an ultrasonic sensor sitting atop the PVC tube, control hardware and a power supply, a short-range radio to a base station central to the research site (servicing multiple piezometers and wells), and a long-range radio to telemeter the data to an internet access point. The water level data are then retrieved via the web. Accuracy and precision testing is proceeding. The tested system is assembled by a small company in central South Dakota. Impacts: Use of automated measurement systems such as the system tested here could greatly reduce the time and labor required for water level measurements. If the site is at a remote location, travel also can be reduced. WI- University of Wisconsin, no written report. Future Goals for the Committee 1. Establish a committee website to raise the visibility of the committee and allow for stakeholders to easily find information related to the work of the committee members in agricultural subsurface drainage. 2. Work to develop plans for Extension publications in the area of drainage water management design and operation. 3. Continue discussions related to drainage research to provide needed communication to funding agencies and ensure that when possible data collection is similar to allow for broader use of the research results. 4. Continue to sponsor mini-symposiums and theme discussions at the committee meetings and invite additional stakeholders to these discussions to broaden the impact of the committee.