WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Farmers interested in in-crop drainage tile installation can learn more about it during a June 18 field day at Purdue University’s Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE).

The free event will be hosted by the Indiana Land Improvement Contractors Association (INLICA) and the university. During the field day, dual wall mains will be installed at the ACRE site.

A dual wall main is utilized for high-capacity drainage, said Nanci Gutwein, INLICA executive director. It has a corrugated exterior for strength, and a smooth interior for better flow, she said.

“Installing drain tile is a practice that has been around since the mid 1800s,” Gutwein explained. “The goal of these practices is two fold. The installation of tile effectively manages the water table. In a time of higher-than-average rainfall, the pipe allows for excess moisture to flow freely through the tiles and off of the field and into ditches, holding ponds, etc. It also gives the soil a naturally greater moisture holding capacity and prevents erosion from rainwater run-off.

“In times of drought, roots are able to grow deeper in search of moisture. The tile also increases the ground temperature allowing for earlier planting.”

The project to be demonstrated during the field day is the first of two phases, she noted. The mains will be installed, and are strategically mapped out and placed in areas that maximize natural topography. Next year, Gutwein said the project will be completed by installing laterals, which are a smaller diameter and are used to “tie” the system together.

Attendees will be able to view the installation process from a safe distance, Gutwein said. They will be able to see into the trench being dug, how the pipe is laid into the trench and how the pipe is connected together.

The field work will begin at 8:45 a.m. Over lunch (which will be available for purchase), an informational session will look at why the ground needed to be tiled, how and why the design of the project was developed, and why an in-crop installation is suitable for this project, Gutwein said.

INLICA has hosted drainage tile installation projects like this on other Purdue farm grounds, she said. The organization has also installed a bio-reactor and a two-stage ditch at Purdue’s Throckmorton facility in Lafayette.

Average daily attendance for a project like drainage tile installation is about 200, but those are usually two-day events, Gutwein pointed out. She said she would like to see more for the June event, given that it’s a one-day project. Rain dates are June 19 and 20.

Gutwein said education is the reason INLICA offers events such as the upcoming field day.

“For the farmers that attend, we want them to see that something like this doesn’t have to affect their yield, and that the benefit of tiling their fields can pay off with greater yields for years to come,” she said. “For contractors, we want them to learn best practices. Safety is of utmost importance and a trench can collapse in any environment. There are also many other factors to a proper install. Many contractors try to stretch their pipe – literally – to save on material cost. This can lead to weakening of the pipe, resulting in a collapse, effectively rendering that tile useless.

“These field days also help our vendors advertise their products. Many will have booths set up and all of the equipment used in the project will be supplied by INLICA associates.”

Indiana LICA is a not-for-profit organization geared for dirt moving contractors, Gutwein said. They are a state chapter of a nationwide organization that started in 1950. She said the group provides education to the association and promotes high standards of workmanship in resource management, land improvement practices, and safety on the job.

For more information, contact Gutwein at indianalica@gmail.com.