Controlled drainage systems to reduce contaminant losses and optimize productivity from New Zealand pastoral systems

Figures & data

Table 1  Summary of reductions in NO₃-N concentrations and loads, and the main mechanisms for loss reductions from a range of controlled drainage studies.

Study	Location	% reduction NO3-N concentrations	% reduction NO3-N loads	Soil type	Loss mechanism
Gilliam et al. (1979)	N. Carolina, US		50	Silty loam	Mainly due to reduced drain flow
Lalonde et al. (1996)	Canada	62.3–95.7	40.9–95.0	Silt loam	Mainly due to reduced drain flow, possibly some denitrification
Borin et al. (2001)	Italy		46–63	Sandy silt loam	Possibly enhanced evapotranspiration, denitrification
Ng et al. (2002)	Canada	41	36	Sandy loam
Elmi et al. (2004)	Canada	55–73	42.3–79.2	Fine sandy loam	Denitrification
Wesstrom & Messing (2007)	Sweden		76.5–85	Loamy sand	Reduced drain flow, possibly denitrification
Bonaiti & Borin (2010)	Italy		70 (CD), 72 (CD+SI)	Silty sand loam	Reduction of drainage (major), denitrification (minor)
Woli et al. (2010)	Illinois, US		73	Silty clay loam	Possibly denitrification
Bohlen & Villapando (2011)	Florida, US	13.6 (TN)	44.3 (TN)	Loamy sand (90% sand)	Possibly uptake by aquatic organisms or denitrification
Smith & Kellman (2011)	Canada	−14.4–8.7	85.6	Sandy loam	No evidence of denitrification
CD = controlled drainage.
CD +SI = controlled drainage and sub-irrigation.
TN=total nitrogen

Table 2  Examples of water table depths for optimal crop growth.

		Water table depth (m)
Study	Land use	Highest yield	Lowest yield
Mejia et al. (2000)	Corn, soybean	0.5–0.75
Madramootoo et al. (1995); Kalita & Kanwar (1993)	Corn, soybean	0.6–0.9	0.2–0.3
Zhou et al. (2000)		0.7–1.0
Evans et al. (1996)		0.3–0.9

Gilliam , JW , Skaggs , RW and Weed , SB . 1979 . Drainage control to diminish nitrate loss from agricultural fields . Journal of Environmental Quality , 8 : 137 – 142 . doi: 10.2134/jeq1979.00472425000800010030x

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Lalonde , V , Madramootoo , CA , Trenholm , L and Broughton , RS . 1996 . Effects of controlled drainage on nitrate concentrations in subsurface drain discharge . Agricultural Water Management , 29 : 187 – 199 . doi: 10.1016/0378-3774(95)01193-5

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Borin , M , Bonaiti , G and Giardini , L . 2001 . Controlled drainage and wetlands to reduce agricultural pollution: A lysimetric study . Journal of Environmental Quality , 30 : 1330 – 1340 . doi: 10.2134/jeq2001.3041330x

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Ng , HYF , Tan , CS , Drury , CF and Gaynor , JD . 2002 . Controlled drainage and subirrigation influences tile nitrate loss and corn yields in a sandy loam soil in Southwestern Ontario . Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment , 90 : 81 – 88 . doi: 10.1016/S0167-8809(01)00172-4

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Elmi , AA , Madramootoo , CA , Egeh , M and Hamel , C . 2004 . Water and fertilizer nitrogen management to minimize nitrate pollution from a cropped soil in southwestern Quebec, Canada . Water Air and Soil Pollution , 151 : 117 – 134 . doi: 10.1023/B:WATE.0000009910.25539.75

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Wesstrom , I and Messing , I . 2007 . Effects of controlled drainage on N and P losses and N dynamics in a loamy sand with spring crops . Agricultural Water Management , 87 : 229 – 240 . doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2006.07.005

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Bonaiti , G and Borin , M . 2010 . Efficiency of controlled drainage and subirrigation in reducing nitrogen losses from agricultural fields . Agricultural Water Management , 98 : 343 – 352 . doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2010.09.008

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Woli , KP , David , MB , Cooke , RA , McIsaac , GF and Mitchell , CA . 2010 . Nitrogen balance in and export from agricultural fields associated with controlled drainage systems and denitrifying bioreactors . Ecological Engineering , 36 : 1558 – 1566 . doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.04.024

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Bohlen , PJ and Villapando , OR . 2011 . Controlling runoff from subtropical pastures has differential effects on nitrogen and phosphorus loads . Journal of Environmental Quality , 40 : 989 – 998 . doi: 10.2134/jeq2010.0127

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Smith , EL and Kellman , LM . 2011 . Nitrate loading and isotopic signatures in subsurface agricultural drainage systems . Journal of Environmental Quality , 40 : 1257 – 1265 . doi: 10.2134/jeq2010.0489

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Mejia , MN , Madramootoo , CA and Broughton , RS . 2000 . Influence of water table management on corn and soybean yields . Agricultural Water Management , 46 : 73 – 89 . doi: 10.1016/S0378-3774(99)00109-2

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Madramootoo , CA , Broughton , SR and Dodds , GT . 1995 . Water-table management strategies for soybean production on a sandy loam soil . Canadian Agricultural Engineering , 37 : 1 – 7 .

 Google Scholar

Kalita , PK and Kanwar , RS . 1993 . Effect of water table management practices on the transport of nitrate-N to shallow groundwater . Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers , 36 : 413

 Google Scholar

Zhou , XM , Madramootoo , CA , MacKenzie , AF , Kaluli , JW and Smith , DL . 2000 . Corn yield and fertilizer N recovery in water-table-controlled corn-rye-grass systems . European Journal of Agronomy , 12 : 83 – 92 . doi: 10.1016/S1161-0301(99)00048-9

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Evans RO , Gilliam JW , Skaggs RW 1996 . Controlled drainage management guidelines for improving drainage water quality . North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service , Raleigh , NC . Publication Number : AG 443 .

 Google Scholar