Field drainage with BX24

[richardbro]

I'm trying to figure out how to improve drainage of about 60 acres of clay-based hayfield - hopefully with my BX24.
Would the Bro-tek ripper and trencher attachment create a gully of some sorts that can at least drain the surface water off?

What are people here doing about hayfield drainage?

 

[bx24]

Richard-

I am not a farmer so I can only guess here, but wouldn't something like this work to either do what you want or actually place a drain tile?

Paul

King Kutter Incorporated

 

[crabjoe]

Not knowing how much water runs off now or would run off, you might want to bring in an engineer to figure out what needs to be done. A ditch carrying water from 60 acres might cause problems down from you.

Based on the amount of rain you get in the area, a engineer might just tell you amending your clay with organics to hold more water might do the trick. And that's a great thing because it adds nutrients.

I know the local public works department, here, works with farmers to spread cooked sewage on their fields for free. The farmer can't use the field for up to a year because he needs to let it compost down, but there is no cost to the farmer. The farmer, then just plows it into his fields before planting.

The soil then hold more water and now there's no need to fertilize.

Man, I can't imagine digging a drainage ditch with a BX for a 60 acre field.

 

[rdsaustintx]

^^ Good Advice

 

[Berniep]

You sure can use your BX24 to help improve the drainage. You can haul the cooler out to the guys that put in the field tile at the end of the day.
Just kidding.
Draining 60 acres is a big job and depending on the contours of the land it might require large equipment and weeks of work. if it just needs a little help you can probably use something like a middlebuster and reopen ditches that have grown closed and things like that.

 

[ejnichol]

I'm trying to figure out how to improve drainage of about 60 acres of clay-based hayfield - hopefully with my BX24.
Would the Bro-tek ripper and trencher attachment create a gully of some sorts that can at least drain the surface water off?

What are people here doing about hayfield drainage?

LOL.. This is a joke I hope.

 

[Fossil Farm]

Bernie is right. A systematic subsurface drainage system for 60 acres would be expensive. Depending on the soil type and crop uses, most tile systems have the tile placed 40 feet apart. Looking at my old drainage guide, that is 1,089 feet per acre, times 60 is 65,340 feet of 4 inch tile (plus a main or two). For legume hay crops such as alfalfa and clover, that is usually the recommended spacing.
In the states, we have county soil and water conservation districts that will give recommendations on what would be best for a farm field. Not sure if the Canadian Natural Resources Ministry or if you have an Agriculture Ministry that would take a look at your farm for you.

Many of the tile contractors are experienced enough to lay out a subsurface system themselves, especially now with lasers. Wheel machines and tile plows are usually used to put in the system, then there is the connections of the main tile and the laterals, and such. Haven't kept up with pricing lately.
Eastern Ohio is more expensive than most of Western Ohio. Simply, Western Ohio is mostly lake plain soils with no rocks, while Eastern Ohio is glacial till with many rocks to slow down installation. Most tile is placed at or just deeper than 30 inches in depth to get the most drainage efficiency. Again, it depends on the terrain, and other factors. Many soils we have, have what is called a fragipan which blocks water flow downward through the soil profile. Tile should not be put much below this layer because it can seal over the tile in a few years. Tile only needs a slope of 1 inch in 100 feet to work properly. Of course the most important item in a tile system is having an outlet to drain the field tile. Without a good outlet for the tile, the tile is worthless. By outlet, I mean exiting the main tile into a ditch, stream or river by gravity to allow the excess water to exit the tile system. A plugged tile system (no outlet) is actually worse than none installed.

If you just have a few wet areas, you can just put tile lines through those to drain them. Just size it right and install it so it can be added onto in the future if you decide to add more tile.

If your fields are fairly flat, say 1 to 2 percent grade, some land levelling or surface drains can help in removing excess surface water to help your legumes grow.
You need someone with some experience in shaping them so they are flat enough and slightly pitched to get rid of the surface water. Surface drains are basically a very wide waterway that really does not affect the farming operation.

I think that is enough detail for now. Hope this helps give you an idea what
may or may not work for you. Ask around at the coffee shop to see who may
have experience with your problem and can help give you some ideas. Good luck.

 

[richardbro]

Thanks for that reply Fossil - you have a good understanding of field drainage.

This is a timothy hay field on clay. No rocks. (My next door neighbour dug about 20 feet to find bedrock - didn't find any). I am luck enough to have several deep ravines here and there to drain into. With drainage I should be able to get 2 hay cuts per year rather than just one.

Agriculture Canada is supposed to approve the drainage and an engineer is supposed to design the system. However, I think this is for tiled drainge which may be overkill in my case since I'm not commercial. The fields do slope naturally towards the ravine or towards nearby forest area.

The fellow who now does my hay suggested that some surface drainage may do the trick without incuring the expense of the specialized machines and people.
The original homesteader had already carved out a couple of surface gullys leading to a couple of ditches that end off into the ravines.

I'm just wondering if (and how) I can carve out a few more surface drains with my little BX as an experiment without spending too much cash. I already have the laser system so I think I'll be able to measure the grade well enough.

I was thinking of using the FEL to carve out some gentle V-ditch-like depressions coming in a few feet on either side of the drainage ditch - nothin too deep - something like 6 inches on 5 feet (so the gully would be about 10 feet wide)

 

[Fossil Farm]

I'm just wondering if (and how) I can carve out a few more surface drains with my little BX as an experiment without spending too much cash. I already have the laser system so I think I'll be able to measure the grade well enough.

I was thinking of using the FEL to carve out some gentle V-ditch-like depressions coming in a few feet on either side of the drainage ditch - nothin too deep - something like 6 inches on 5 feet (so the gully would be about 10 feet wide)

Surface drains are something you could do yourself. You will tear up some hay in the process, but timothy usually comes back pretty well. Many of the guys have put in waterways or surface drains with back blades. If you have one of those available, it might be easier than using the FEL. If you have the time, you can make most any piece of equipment work. Just don't try to make the drains too narrow. You have to run a tractor, baler and wagon over the surface drains, and you don't want to create anything too steep that may pinch the equipment.

Surface drains do not have to be too deep, as you say. They are mainly to gather the excess water and direct it away and off the major field areas so the field has no water ponding. Good luck.

 

[sunnyside360]

I can tell you from experience that anything to do with changing/channeling water here in this part of the country requires a permit. I found this out the hard way a couple of years ago when I simply cleaned up an existing old ditch which carried a small amount of water about 50 feet from the old spring to a small stream which goes dry during the summer months. I got an on site visit from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, PA Fish Commission, and a county environment dept.
The US Army Corp of Engineers gave me a lot of grief -- claimed I disturbed wetlands and habitat even though this area of my property (old dairy farm) has never been declared wetlands. They stuck posts with flags in the ground, took pictures, and sent me some nasty letters. They gave me specifications as to what I had to do with the ditch and the dirt I removed and informed me they would monitor getting the work done within a specified timetable. You would not believe how intimidating they were. The final letter I received indicated they would not fine me. If you could see the small amount of soil I cleaned out of the old ditch you would never believe a permit was required. Since this experience, I posted all 300 acres of my property and only allow access to people I know and trust. I wish I could help you more with your water problem, but........