A Prototype System to Evaluate the Potential Benefits of Using Recycled Drainage Water to Irrigate Corn and Soybeans

Annual precipitation in Indiana is typically greater than crop water needs; however, the timing of precipitation often does not coincide with those needs with excess precipitation in the spring and water deficits later in the growing season.  Drainage water recycling (DWR) is the practice of capturing and storing water drained from fields in a pond, reservoir, or wetland, and using the stored water to irrigate crops when there is a water deficit. This presentation will describe the installation and first year of practice with a prototype drainage water recycling system installed at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University.  Five corn and soybean treatments are evaluated that utilize surface drip irrigation, fertigation and intensive management using captured drainage water stored in an existing wetland. This research will evaluate if storing water on farms in Indiana offers direct benefits to Indiana farmers, while reducing nutrient loads from the farm.