Tile drainage plays an important role in Wisconsin’s agricultural systems.  Understanding the purpose of tile drainage, locating tile drainage systems and proper drain tile maintenance are key components to maintaining agricultural productivity and protecting water quality in Wisconsin.

A series of fact sheets titled “Tile Drainage in Wisconsin” are being developed with coordination between UW Discovery Farms, UW Extension and UW College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to inform producers of the considerations of managing tile drained agricultural landscapes.  The first two fact sheets in this series “Understanding and Locating Tile Drainage Systems” and “Maintaining Tile Drainage Systems” have been completed and can be found below.

A third fact sheet is currently being developed to cover agricultural management practices to reduce potential loss of nutrients to tile drainage.  It is also possible that a fourth fact sheet discussing tile flow patterns may also be produced.  This series of fact sheets allows producers to make more informed management decisions when operating in tile drained landscapes.