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Field Measurements for Tests of Soil Drainage Theory¹

ABSTRACT

Measurements are reported for water table heights, rainfall, permeability, and in some cases, of ditch and drain tile outflow, for tile drains and ditch drains in replicated plots in the recently reclaimed North East Polder, the Netherlands. The spacing of the ditches and tiles is 8, 10, 12, and 16 meters, the nominal depth of tiles 1 meter, of ditches 60 cm. The measurements were made in November and December 1950, when evaporation and transpiration effects were small, and are believed to be the most extensive measurements yet made for testing modern drainage theory under field conditions. An order of magnitude theoretical test of the data appears satisfactory. From an immediately practical view point it was found that tiles, apparently because of their greater depth, kept the water table lower at all times than the ditches. Tiles at 50-foot (16-meter) spacing kept the water table foot below the soils surface; tiles at 25-foot spacing kept the water table 2 feet below the soil surface. For ditches at the same spacings the values were foot and 1 foot 3 inches.

¹ Journal Paper No. J-2071, Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project 998. Presented before Sections I and VI, Soil Science Society of America, State College, Pa., August 30, 1951.

² Professor Soil Physics, Iowa State College; and (1950–51) Fulbright Professor, Landbouwhogeschool (Agricultural University), Wageningen, Holland.

³ Assistant, Dept. Drainage and Reclamation, Agricultural University, Wageningen.