MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Connection
Join in ... sign up
 
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password        REGISTER
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 General Chat Forum
 Barnyard Buddies
 Drainage Tiles
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Barnyard Buddies: Previous Topic Drainage Tiles Next Topic  

peafarm
True Blue Farmgirl

182 Posts

Penny
South Dakota
182 Posts

Posted - Feb 08 2011 :  11:08:04 PM  Show Profile
Thought I'd stir the pot a bit and ask what people think about the momentum to drain more and more potholes/swampy areas by installing drainage tiles to recover more tillable acres.

We had problems last fall in our area and they are forecasting major flooding this spring due to snowfall amts (groan!) and already saturated soil.

My personal opinion is that the drainage tiles are part of the reason for the saturated soils. It would be an unpopular opinion with neighboring farmers.

Any thoughts?

Penny
www.peafarm.weebly.com

prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl

2914 Posts

Cindy

2914 Posts

Posted - Feb 09 2011 :  02:46:35 AM  Show Profile
I don't know much about the drainage tiles, have read about them, etc. I just think it's wrong to think that we can keep taking natural floodplains away and then expect the rivers not to flood. Rivers need to flood, that's just a fact of life. I live along the Mississippi so I've seen floods, including the flood of '93. Around here they think the levees will hold forever, but some of them are in poor shape. I say give the floodplains back to the rivers. I think all the problems started when the Army Corps of Engineers tried to control the Missouri and Mississippi by building dams, etc. You can't control a river, it's going to do what it's going to do. They see it only as a highway for barges, but it has a life of its own. I respect the river and if you let it flood naturally, the floods aren't near as bad as the ones that are man-made due to man's "superior" designs. I know the tiles make it possible to farm more land, but why is more always better? If we took proper care of the farmland we have (by not using so many pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) we'd have plenty of farmland and then some. OK, that's probably a rant, so I'll shut up now.
Cindy

"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers

Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/
Go to Top of Page
  Barnyard Buddies: Previous Topic Drainage Tiles Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Snitz Forums 2000 Go To Top Of Page