Tile drainage systems are designed to remove excess water from soil to improve crop growth. They work by allowing water to drain through perforated pipes underground and flow to an outlet. Studies show tile drainage can increase crop yields by up to 38% and reduce surface runoff, soil erosion, and movement of nutrients and pesticides. It also benefits the environment by improving soil health, structure, and biological activity. Regulations around tile drainage vary between provinces but generally require notification or permits from local water authorities.

1. Water Management: Tile Drainage
Chris Unrau, President & CEO
Precision Land Solutions

3. Surface Drainage

5. Surface drainage?
Tile drainage?

8. Basic Tile Drainage Design Concepts:
• Topography – determines layout
• Outlet – necessity that can determine feasibility
• Coefficient – how much water the system can remove in
24hr period (influences main sizing, influenced by soils)
• Spacing – largest cost variable, strongly correlates to
efficacy, influenced by soils
• Tile – perforated, narrow slot, filtered

9. Why Tile?
• Better root structure
• Less compaction
• Increase in yield
• Less risk of major loss
• Less yield variability
• Environmental benefits

10. How tile works:
• Excess water in soil profile (Gravitational Water)
percolates down to restricted layer and causes water
table to rise
• Hydraulic pressure of water table causes water to seep
into perforations in pipe
• Water flows down pipe to outlet

12. Why is this important?
Plant roots die in
absence of oxygen!

29. Salinity - A symptom of a water problem

32. Precision Land Solutions
• Started in 2007 after 10 years of experience in farm
management and tile drainage installation
• Focus on quality, expertise as a solutions provider
• Initially started 1,500 acres/yr; now 6,000+
THEN NOW

43. Before After

44. Yield increase on tiled land:
20 yr study of Ontario crop insurance data
Crop
Yield Increase
Corn
29%
Soybeans
26%
Wheat
38%
Dry Beans
21%
Canola
13%

45. 20 year study in Ohio, Toledo Silty Clay

46. Downstream Impacts?
Environmental Impacts?

47. Tile Drainage - Environmental Benefits
• Reduced surface runoff
• Improved soil health
• Green Benefits

48. Tile Drainage - Environmental Benefits
• Reduced surface runoff
– Tiled land acts as a buffer to rainfall, gives water time
to percolate into a soil profile and slowly be released
to streams (Van Vlack/Norton, Mason/Rost, Skaggs/
Broadhead, Irwin/Whiteley)
• Reduced peak flows in streams (Skaggs: 89%)
• Reduced soil erosion due to overland runoff -55% (Baker/
Johnson, Hill, Loudon, Belcher/Fogiel, Skaggs)
• Reduced movement of P (48%), K (22%), and pesticides
(50%) (Gaynor/Loudon, Muir, Bastien)

49. Tile Drainage - Environmental Benefits
• Increased Crop Growth
– Coldwell: Corn 35%, Soybeans 32%, Wheat 47%
• Increased nutrient usage
• Increased soil organic matter, tilth
• Increased soil biological activity
– Van Vlack/Norton: Increased soil bacteria, better soil tilth,
deeper root systems, increased nutrient consumption
• Better Soil Structure
– Gardner et al.: Improved soil structure, better
trafficability, increased water storage capacity

50. Tile Drainage - Environmental Benefits
• Green Benefits
– Decreased fossil fuel consumption (Madramootoo,
Wind)
– Decreased greenhouse gas production
• Less CO2 from fossil fuel burn
• Less denitrification

51. Ontario: 100+ year history of tile drainage
• No license or permits required by landowner to tile
• Contractor, machine, and operator require training and
license
• Tile activities to be reported at year end
Regulations

52. Manitoba:
• Drainage License required by Manitoba Water
Stewardship (application, $25 fee)
• Permission required from recipient (i.e. outlet into RM
ditch or neighbour)
• Consistently inconsistent
• Currently in limbo - massive new changes being proposed
(Surface Water Management Strategy)
Regulations

53. Saskatchewan:
• Approval to Construct and Operate Drainage Works
• Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit
Regulations

55. www.plsinc.ca
1-855-PLS-TILE
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