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Concept
Tile drainage
Summary
Tile drainage is a form of agricultural drainage system that removes excess sub-surface water from fields to allow sufficient air space within the soil, proper cultivation, and access by heavy machinery to tend and harvest crops. While surface water can be drained by pumping, open ditches, or both, tile drainage is often the most effective means of draining subsurface water.
The phrase "tile drainage" derives from its original composition from ceramic tiles of fired clay, which were similar to terracotta pipes yet not always shaped as pipes. In the 19th century a "C" shaped channel tile commonly was placed like an arch atop a flat tile, denominated the "mug" and "sole", respectively. Today, tile drainage is any variation of this original system that functions in the same mode. Commonly HDPE and PVC tubing denominated "tile line" is used, although precast concrete and ceramic tiles are still used.
The figure illustrates the most used irrigation techniques as well as the least used options for treatment and recycling of water drainage. Collecting nutrient-rich irrigation water in reservoirs and pumping them back to crop fields during drought periods is an affordable practice and gaining increasing popularity among farmers in states like Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Minnesota. In Western U.S. States, water salinity is usually higher and direct recycling is not a viable option. Advanced treatment techniques such as reverse osmosis are required to make water drainage suitable for reuse.
There are two types of drainage systems that are used by farmers:
Surface drainage: Facilitated by ditches and by maintaining natural channels to allow water to move downward by the force of gravity.
Subsurface drainage: Built by burying pipes underground to remove excess water from the soil profile.
Subsurface drainage is widely used by farmers. It has many advantages:
It increases soil humidity and leads to better crop yields.
It stops the accumulation of salts and gives farmers more flexibility to plant different types of crops.
Official source
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