Drainage Main Rehabilitation in Iowa

Subsurface drainage systems installed throughout much of north central region of Iowa have provided substantial crop production benefits. However, most of these systems were installed in the early 1900's and as such they are reaching their design life. With the aging infrastructure of these systems, better economic conditions, and the potential for more financial gains for better drainage; there will need to be significant rehabilitation that occurs in the future. This paper will discuss some of what is known about the existing infrastructure in this area, some potential opportunities for future redesign, and potential economic returns of drainage district redesign. The future redesign would need to include environmental as well as economic considerations and might include the integration of drainage and wetland systems. While this paper focuses on a specific location, the concepts should have relevance to many areas where existing drainage infrastructure is aging.