Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
2025
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
First Advisor
Todd Trooien
Second Advisor
John McMaine
Abstract
Automated controlled tile drainage is an innovative approach to water management, using dynamic weir settings programmed to drain water out of the tile system if it encroaches into the root zone at pre-programmed depths and duration. While past studies have indicated potential yield and water quality benefits of controlled drainage, there has been very little research into the performance of automated controlled drainage. In addition to overall performance, there is a gap in knowledge of management settings to optimize yield and water quality benefits. Two experiments, one plot-scale and one modeling, were conducted to assess the impact of automated controlled drainage on crop yield and water quality. A plot-scale experiment was conducted at the South Dakota State University South East Research Farm near Beresford, SD. The study assessed three treatments, automated controlled drainage (dynamic water table management), manual controlled drainage (weir height only changed a few times each year), and free drainage (conventional with no control) and two replications of each treatment. Data collected included water table depth and outflow, weekly grab samples analyzed for nitrate and ortho-phosphate, hourly soil moisture at three points in each plot, and crop yield. In addition to the field experiment, DRAINMOD was utilized to model the hydrology of the three drainage conditions over a thirty-year span (1994 – 2023). The weir depth setting was adjusted for each drainage condition. Automated weir setting depth was optimized based off weather conditions, manual followed standard practice settings, and conventional had no weir. The plot-scale study demonstrated a 13% increase in mean soybean yield from the conventional drainage by using automated controlled drainage in the plots during 2024. Soil moisture in the root zone, 0 to 60 cm, was the greatest with manual controlled drainage. The yield and soil moisture results from the experiment were not significantly different between treatments. DRAINMOD simulations also found an increase in yield with a 4.1% and 7.3% increase in mean soybean and corn yield, respectively, over the 30-year period with automated compared to conventional. In addition to the boost in productivity, water loss was minimized with automated when compared to conventional in 25 out of the 30 years simulated, which simultaneously results in less nutrient export. These results point to the potential of automated controlled tile drainage to play a key role in the future of productive and sustainable agricultural practices in Eastern South Dakota.
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Becker, Joshua, "Impact of Automated Controlled Tile Drainage on Field Discharge Water, Soil Moisture, and Crop Yield in Southeastern South Dakota" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1517.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/1517
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons
Rights Statement
