Conservation Drainage

Throughout Illinois and other parts of the Midwest, farmers are increasingly investing in tile drainage systems to improve productivity and trafficability of their fields. Conservation drainage practices such as bioreactors, controlled drainage systems, saturated buffers, and constructed wetlands, are designed to capture and treat drainage from tile outlets, providing effective and often long-term nutrient loss reduction benefits.

ADMC Constructed Wetland Fact Sheet

This ADMC webpage provides information on constructed wetlands, including considerations for installation and financial impacts.

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NRCS Saturated Buffer Practice Overview

This one page factsheet from NRCS provides an overview of saturated buffers, how they fuction, and common associated practices.

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ADMC Saturated Buffer Fact Sheet

This ADMC webpage provides information on saturated buffers including considerations for installation and financial impacts.

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SWCS Saturated Buffers

This video, in the SWCS Conservation Media Library, shows how saturated buffers serve as a nutrient removal option for farmers.

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Illinois NREC Saturated Buffer Video

Jon Schoonover with Southern Illinois University has designed a unique Saturated Buffer configuration that he has installed and tested in Moultrie County Illinois. The project is funded by NREC in partnership with Illinois Farm Bureau, Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA) and others.

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IL Farm Bureau Saturated Buffer Field Day

Illinois Farm Bureau, Southern Illinois University College of Agriculture, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, and USDA-NRCS partnered together to bring Illinois farmers an educational demonstration of our latest edge of field practice. Together they are striving to protect our natural resources and seeking out new ways to be better stewards of our land.

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