Utilizing Drainage Water Recycling To Improve Water Quality and Manage Weather Risk

Iowa Learning Farms Virtual Field Day Scheduled for December 8, 2022 at 1pm CT

AMES, Iowa – Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, and Conservation Learning Group (CLG), is hosting a free virtual field day discussing drainage water recycling on December 8 at 1 p.m. CDT. Join us for a live discussion with Matt Helmers, Iowa Nutrient Research Center Director, Chris Hay, Iowa Soybean Association Senior Research Scientist, Shane Wulf, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Environmental Specialist Senior, and Mark Schleisman, Calhoun County farmer and landowner.

Drainage water recycling (DWR) is a drainage management system designed to capture water during wet periods so it can be used later when growing crops are thirsty. Versions of DWR have been around for years, but adoption has remained limited. Now, interest is growing as the practice is recognized for its potential to improve water quality and help farmers reduce risks from weather volatility.

During this virtual field day, attendees will have a chance to get a closer look at new installations being used to collect in-field data on the performance of these systems. These sites are being studied as part of a research project led by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and the Iowa Soybean Association analyzing drainage water recycling’s costs and benefits, with funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and the EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Division.

“Too much rain or not enough rain are two of the biggest problems for Iowa crops most years,” said Chris Hay. “Drainage water recycling can help farmers address these challenges. Research — mostly done in other states — shows it can boost yields by up to 50% for corn and 30% for soybeans. Our early work modeling it here in Iowa also shows potential for significant yield gains, especially in dry years, and the system can also benefit water quality and wildlife. But there’s still a lot of work to be done to predict what farmers can expect in terms of return on investment.”

Virtual Field Day Access Instructions:

To participate in the live virtual field day at 1:00 pm CT on December 8 to learn more, click this URL: https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpduihpj8iE9ZHcjpsenc2DWQILG41wg0D or visit https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/events-1 and click “Join Live Virtual Field Day”.

Or, join from a dial-in phone line:

Dial: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592

Meeting ID: 945 3331 7620

The field day will be recorded and archived on the ILF website so that it can be watched at any time. The archive will be available at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/virtual-field-day-archive.

Participants may be eligible for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit (CEU). Information about how to apply to receive the credit (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live field day.