AGRICULTURAL

DRAINAGE Go
Group 4
 Drainage
Drainage is defined as the natural or artificial method
to remove excess water/wastewater from one place to
another place through channels. It is also known as free
water or gravitational water, from the surface soil or below to
create favorable soil conditions for plant growth. Drainage also
deals with the lowering dove a of the groundwater table (GWT)
below the root zone of the crops to improve the plant growth in
some cases or reduce the accumulation of salt in the crop root
zone.
 Irrigation and drainage are equally important for successful crop production.
Irrigation and drainage cannot be separated, and they should go hand in hand.
Even for a short period, excess water in the soil may cause severe damage to
crops and soil.

Irrigation provides sufficient moisture in the soil for the satisfactory growth of
plants, whereas drainage is important for avoiding excess moisture in the root
zone. The excess moisture may originate from excess rainfall, over-irrigation,
seepage from canals or reservoirs, or ditches.
 Objectives of Drainage

• Removal of excess water from the soil.

• Arrangement for good aeration in the soil.
• To control the loss of plant nutrients.
• To enhance the activity of soil organisms.
• To improve the soil structure.
• To control soil erosion.
• To prevent salt accumulation on the surface soil.
• To develop favorable conditions for the growth of plant roots.
• To lower the water level below the root zone.
 Types of Drainage Systems

There are mainly four types of drainage systems:

•Surface Drainage System

•Subsurface Drainage System

•Slope Drainage System

•Downspout and Gutter System

 Surface Drainage System
Surface drainage systems remove excess water from the land’s surface through channels or ditches. In some cases, the
ground surface is shaped or graded to create sloping toward the channels. Water is carried to the outlet channel by
lateral ditches, which receive water from field ditches or sometimes from the surface of the field.
 Subsurface Drainage System
A subsurface drainage system we use a drain or a pipe that goes deep inside the soil. Here, we can also use a sump pump to
push water through these pipes as well. Water is carried into the outlet by main drains, which receive water from the laterals.
Submains are sometimes used off the main drain to collect water. These drainage systems are made to remove excess water
from the soil.
 Slope Drainage System
In this drainage system, pipes are installed on an inclined surface. This makes water move naturally away from the
home or any area. Pipes can be made of steel, concrete, or plastic and wrapped with a protective layer.
 Downspout and Gutter Drainage System
In this drainage system, the downspout is connected to the gutter, which gets rid of excess water
that builds on the roof. It is the most essential drainage system used at home. Without this system,
rainwater comes off the roof and damages our house.
 There are generally two methods that are employed for drainage of crop fields:

Open Drainage System and Close

Drainage System
 Open Drainage System
The Open drainage systems, also called natural drainage systems, consist of uncovered channels or ditches that
pick up wastewater flows. Apart from wastewater, it is also serve as stormwater run-offs, and should be designed
to accommodate heavy flows. These systems are not suitable for transporting sewage. Open drainage systems are
more often used on farm lands than in urban areas.
 Ty p e s o f O p e n D r a i n a g e S y s t e m

1. Open Drainage
3.
2. Humps and hollows

4.
3. Leeves 4. Grassed Waterways
1. Open Drainage
Open drains can be created at different depths:

Shallow – Shallow, open drains can be dug with a hand shovel. Their purpose is to help remove water in shallow
depressions. Though they direct water to larger drains or streams, a shallow drain is only suitable for draining small
areas. It is considered more of a temporary arrangement than a long-term solution.

Medium depth – The Medium depth drains are between one foot to one meter deep. Normally, an excavator is used
to dig these into a V-shaped trench with a flat bottom. It has a gradient that must be steep enough to allow water to
flow through quickly without damaging the walls or bottom of the drain. It is recommended for flat areas.

Large – The Large open drains are wide and several meters deep. A dragline excavator, bulldozer, and scarper may
be used in the creation of a large open drain. These types of drains are used to evacuate large amounts of water.
2. Humps and hollows
In this type of open drainage system, parallel humps are shaped into the surface with hollows in between them. The two
features work together to create a series of lateral surface drains. The spacing between humps helps control the speed at
which the water is removed. It normally ranges between 32 to 65 feet. When there is more space between humps, the water is
discharged more slowly.

3. Levees
Levees are typically formed on land with a gradient or on the banks of a river. When used on a slope, the purpose is to
prevent runoff from building too great a velocity or volume to prevent erosion. Levees will follow the lay of a slope with a
gradual decline so that the water flow will move gently and avoid buildup. It’s best if levees are spaced between 100 and 165
feet apart.

4. Grassed waterways
Grassed waterways are often shallow and narrow. You can only use grassed waterways when there’s a dense stretch of grass
available and the slope (no greater than 1:4). The size and shape of the waterway determines the amount of water that can be
evacuated as well as the steepness of the slope and the type of soil.
 Close Drainage System
A closed drainage system is commonly used in urban areas , which receives the runoff and
wastewater from inlets and conveys it by a closed conduit to terminal points, where water is
treated and/or discharged into a channel, pool, lake, ocean, etc. It is expensive to build and
requires more sophisticated engineering techniques to design, construct, and maintain.
 Ty p e s o f C l o s e D r a i n a g e S y s t e m
1. Tile Drainage
Tile drainage is a system of pipes installed below ground to remove excess water from farmland soil. This
network of pipes placed at varying depths helps farmers maintain a consistent level of soil moisture, increase crop
productivity, and avoid losses from extreme weather. However, tile drainage may carry pollutants into streams and
groundwater as well as change the hydrology of watersheds. Tile drains are grouped in classes depending on the
arrangement of tiles:

a. Parallel system
b. Grouping system
c. Diagonal system
a. Parallel system - In the parallel system, the tiles are placed in underground soil by the following
methods:

Parallel with Single main Parallel with Double main

Grid Iron Herringbone or fishbone method

b. Grouping system - If the field is vast, grades are different at different points and there are depressions
here and there, this system is adopted. It consists of having individual system of drainage suitable for each
area and finally joining all to a common outlet, if possible .

Intercepting system Mixed system

c. Diagonal system: The field is divided into smaller units. Tiles are set in diagonally dug out drains.

3.

4.
2. French Drains
French drains are used as a form of land drainage and are named after Henry French — a 19th-century farmer
(and judge). French drains are used to prevent water logging and an excess of surface water. They consist of a
trench dug, at a gradient, into the ground, lined with membrane, filled with aggregate and, usually these days, a
perforated drainage pipe.
Thank
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