Agricultural drainage

Find guidance on planning and design strategies, tools and calculators, and regulations for agricultural drainage systems.

Benefits and how it works

• Impact of agricultural drainage in Minnesota
• How agricultural drainage works
• Q&A: Drainage water management for the Midwest — Purdue

Planning and design

Decide if drainage is right for your farm

• Evaluating a subsurface drainage project and its alternatives
• Key considerations: Planning an agricultural drainage system
• FAQs: Subsurface drainage in the Red River Valley

Plan a drainage system

• Designing a subsurface drainage system
• Pumped outlets for subsurface drainage
• Minnesota drainage guide

Tools and calculators

• Online drainage calculators
• Minnesota drainage calculators
• Drainage slide rule
• Prinsco drainage calculator

Water quality and environment

• Drainage issues and answers 
• Nitrates in Minnesota drainage water 
• How to reduce nitrogen loads from drained Midwest cropland

Minnesota drainage policy

• Minnesota drainage law (Chapter 103E)
• Minnesota Public Drainage Manual

Drainage history: The Upper Midwest (2016; video: 40:01)