Expansion of the Red Top Demonstration Concept

The rural drainage system, which includes private drain tiles, public ditches and other water pumping and conveyance systems, is an extensive infrastructure in Minnesota. Each year in Minnesota sub-surface drain tile is installed under thousands of acres of agricultural land in an effort to improve crop production. Agricultural drainage involves the removal of excess water from the soil profile of cropland thereby enhancing plant growth, nutrient uptake, and allowing for timely field operations. Unfortunately, there are potential impacts to surface water resources associated with agricultural drainage including the loss of nitrates and other soluble constituents as well as hydrologic changes in watersheds. As Minnesota moves forward with the assessment of waters identified as impaired it is increasingly important that the impact of agricultural drainage is well understood and that the benefits associated with Best Management Practices (BMP's) have been properly quantified and evaluated at the field scale and small watershed scale. In general"