Benefits of Farm Drainage Systems Drought Control: Good drainage promotes root growth. It can be considered "Drought Insurance." in undrained lands, plants develop only shallow roots, while in drained land, the plant roots reach down to the lower water level. Plants with longer roots can withstand drought and windy conditions much better. Soil Aeration: A good drainage system removes the excess water, allowing air beneath the surface. Air is needed for the nutrition of plants. Without air, germination would not take place. Better Fertilizer Performance: Good drainage makes any fertilizer applied more effective. Increased fertilizer usage by itself is not an alternative to good drainage-they must be used together. Erosion Control: Good drainage will reduce erosion by increasing the soil's capacity to hold rainfall and prevent run-off. During heavy rains, water is removed by filtering down through the soil into the drain. Water Table Control: Good drainage provides better water table control. It is important that excess water is removed from the soil. Well-drained soil has ample pore space for storing water until plants need it. Only surplus water is removed-capillary water, essential to crop production, remains. Drainage is Needed: Under any and all conditions where there is excess moisture or ground water within the depth of the crop's normal root zone. Early Germination: Seed germination is greatly dependent upon the temperature of the soil. Drainage removes the cold snow water and allows rain to pass downward and raise the temperature of the soil. Increased Farm Vales: Up, up, up - that's where farm values go when drainage is installed. Like no other investment, drainage brings in a yearly return that more than pays for itself and other farm improvements as well. A drainage system is almost always a plus when it comes to farm appraisal. Early Planting: Good drainage enables fields to be worked earlier, assuring a longer growing season. May is the crucial month in most corn growing areas. Research shows that on poorly drained soils, there may be only 3 days for the field work in a wet season and 12 days in an average year. In contrast, there will be 8 days for field work on a well-drained soils in the wettest season and 15 days during an average year. Total Field Farming: Drainage eliminates the nuisance of working around wet spots and cultivating them later. Labor saved is like money earned. Increased Yields: Good drainage means increased yields. Often, the increased crop yields from drained fields will more than cover the cost of a drainage system within one year. A study conducted on corn plots recorded an increase of 42 to 52 bushels per acre with tile drainage.