Michigan's 2020 Drainage Workshop to teach drainage concepts and design

Learn about drainage concepts and how to design drainage systems with crop production and water quality in mind on Feb. 12-13, 2020, in East Lansing.

Drainage outlet
Drainage outlet. Photo by Ehsan Ghane, MSU.

There are only a few seats left at the 2020 Drainage Workshop in East Lansing, Michigan, on Feb. 12-13, 2020. This workshop is a collaboration between Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Land Improvement Contractors Association (MLICA). Register today!

Who should attend?

This workshop is intended for producers, landowners, drainage contractors, consultants, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil conservationist technicians, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) technicians, other agency technicians and whoever is interested in learning about drainage concepts and design of subsurface drainage systems to meet both crop production and environmental objectives.

Why should you attend?

Easy-to-use online tools will be used to simplify the design process and maximize return on investment in the drainage system. These tools will help estimate the optimum drain spacing to maximize profit, and thereby avoid too narrow or too wide drain spacings. Application of these user-friendly tools is what sets this workshop aside from other drainage workshops.

What will be taught?

Topics will include:

  • Basics of soils and water movement in soils
  • Drainage principles
  • Economics of drainage
  • Contour maps
  • Drainage design
  • User-friendly design tools
  • Estimating cost
  • Legal aspects of drainage
  • Tips for doing your own tiling
  • Safe installation
  • Controlled drainage design
  • Controlled drainage impact on water quality and crop yield

The drainage design process begins with basic design considerations and will follow a step-by-step procedure for solving individual and small-team hands-on problems.

Download the event flyer.

Registration

Registration and tentative workshop agenda with list of speakers are available at the Drainage Workshop 2020 events page.

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