The Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar taking place May 10 at noon CDT will feature Spencer Pech, civil engineer at ISG. Pech specializes in producing data-driven water quality and agriculture drainage solutions for ISG’s water resource team. He applies knowledge gained from growing up on a family farm, formal education and his professional career to designing drainage systems, storage basins, wetlands, and edge-of field practices for ISG’s agriculture and watershed partners throughout the Midwest.

In the webinar, “Designing Multi-Purpose Drainage Systems to Meet Modern Demands,” Pech will discuss the current state of aging drainage infrastructure and the impact of ever-changing concerns surrounding water quality, regulation and environmental impacts of agricultural drainage. He will also highlight alternative designs such as wetlands, sediment basins, and edge-of-field practices, which bolster the efficiency of drainage systems, protect downstream water quality and improve agricultural productivity.

“As we undertake the replacement of aging drainage infrastructure, it presents excellent opportunities to implement multi-purpose designs, including temporary storage, that improve agricultural production as well as water quality,” said Pech. “Improved drainage systems and better water quality outcomes are not mutually exclusive. Implementing modernized solutions can deliver benefits to landowners and producers as well as the water ecosystem – a win-win proposition that will serve for the long into the future.”

Shortly before 12 p.m. CDT, click the link below or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172