|
|
Post by steiny on Jul 12, 2017 8:06:35 GMT -5
Was having a discussion with a friend about all of the recent flood problems we've been seeing due to heavy rains this spring. Seems like these issues are getting to be pretty routine.
Don't you feel like a lot of it is due to current farming practices as well as development? There are very few marshes left that haven't been drained, most of the woodlots have been removed, not many hay or wheat fields, not much ground left in pasture, everything is drained and tiled into ditches, etc. Very few of the areas that naturally were meant to absorb or hold water are left.
Soybean and corn ground dominates the landscape. For the majority of the year these fields are just bare ground and even when growing it is all pretty clean bare ground between the rows facilitating fast run off. Much of the stuff not in AG production has also been developed, paved or built on too, creating hard surfaces that won't absorb water and add to the run off.
The streams, ditches and rivers can only handle so much.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2017 8:18:53 GMT -5
I agree 100%. Every year there is less and less of absorption land to hold for slow release of the water. Some areas are putting in retention ponds, but some of those are so small it's a joke. Just complying to local regulations.
|
|
|
|
Post by nfalls116 on Jul 12, 2017 9:27:11 GMT -5
Was having a discussion with a friend about all of the recent flood problems we've been seeing due to heavy rains this spring. Seems like these issues are getting to be pretty routine. Don't you feel like a lot of it is due to current farming practices as well as development? There are very few marshes left that haven't been drained, most of the woodlots have been removed, not many hay or wheat fields, not much ground left in pasture, everything is drained and tiled into ditches, etc. Very few of the areas that naturally were meant to absorb or hold water are left. Soybean and corn ground dominates the landscape. For the majority of the year these fields are just bare ground and even when growing it is all pretty clean bare ground between the rows facilitating fast run off. Much of the stuff not in AG production has also been developed, paved or built on too, creating hard surfaces that won't absorb water and add to the run off. The streams, ditches and rivers can only handle so much. Don't forget erosion filling in our waterways. |
|
|
|
Post by swilk on Jul 12, 2017 10:45:53 GMT -5
No doubt in my mind the two go hand in hand .....
I dont know about anywhere else in the state but tiling fields has been really popular here the last handful of years. Each winter I drive by project after project.
|
|
|
|
Post by nfalls116 on Jul 12, 2017 11:38:37 GMT -5
No doubt in my mind the two go hand in hand ..... I dont know about anywhere else in the state but tiling fields has been really popular here the last handful of years. Each winter I drive by project after project. It is extremely popular |
|
|
|
Post by buckeater on Jul 12, 2017 12:10:28 GMT -5
I farm and we also do custom tile work. One thing about tile is the farmer is always paying for it wether you have tile put in or not cause if you don't your paying for it in hurt yeilds
But a year like we are haveing here in central Indiana and a lot of other places. Tile hasn't been able to keep up when we seem to get big heavy 2-4" rains every week
|
|
|
|
Post by nfalls116 on Jul 12, 2017 12:22:36 GMT -5
Yield chasing just seems to make it harder on everyone
|
|
|
|
Post by freedomhunter on Jul 12, 2017 15:02:48 GMT -5
I agree 100%. Every year there is less and less of absorption land to hold for slow release of the water. Some areas are putting in retention ponds, but some of those are so small it's a joke. Just complying to local regulations. Hydrology regs for developers are generally no joke, and all the erosion control and water quality measures. Designing for retention and slow release over time. Farmers are not regulated at all and no till crop residue doesn't help, a lot of the erosion is on them unless they do something of their on accord. |
|
|
|
Post by duff on Jul 12, 2017 19:56:29 GMT -5
I could write volumes but will just say I agree 100% that our flooding issues are directly coorelated with our land use practices.
|
|
|
|
Post by throbak on Jul 12, 2017 20:42:13 GMT -5
Yeah Duff down here people move and clean the creeks out most of the time illegally and every one is effected more water More rock and more drift Loggers really screwed up the road below me making skidded trails over a creek and changed the flow over the Rd now instead of under it
|
|
|
|
Post by nfalls116 on Jul 12, 2017 21:44:29 GMT -5
Not to mention the levees "protecting" the river bottoms.
|
|
|
|
Post by firstwd on Jul 13, 2017 21:27:31 GMT -5
I believe that issues from developments far out way the issues from field tile.
|
|
|
|
Post by duff on Jul 14, 2017 5:39:00 GMT -5
Most certainly roof and parking lots do not drain much.
For planning purposes you use runoff coeficients. An estimated value determined by NASA scientists that believe in global warming...just kidding. A value of 1 means no infiltration meaning 100% runoff. This allows for design of retention ponds, wet lands etc. Thing that impact it are land use, topography, best management practices and native soils.
Here are some values I pulled off the web.
Parking lots range from .95 to .97
Residential .22 to .44
Row crops .40 to .74
Pasture .15 to .45
Mature woods .01 to .21
Indiana's land mass is still primarily ag land. Most developments are regulated to limit the impacts of runoff. Not saying they are not contributing but ag has the lion share of impact to most indiana rivers and streams. I know we could pull data on how many acres are in row crop in indiana vs city/residential/commercial or industrial.
I will say it bugs me to see a walmart close a store only to move a mile or two down the road to build a bigger store and bigger parking lot.
|
|
|
|
Post by freedomhunter on Jul 14, 2017 6:28:51 GMT -5
That is the rational method usually only allowed for design of small areas less than 5 acres. Most design regs require SCS and huff rainfall events, and detention is designed for post 100 year at pre 10 year release rates, and 10 and 2 year same. Then a 0.5" direct runoff for water quality and BMP. I'm not a fan boy of development, but they do have to play by a lot of rules, and I don't see muddy, silty, corn stalk water flooding roads in subdivisions, just a fact.
|
|
|
|
Post by tynimiller on Aug 3, 2017 13:01:49 GMT -5
I will attempt to find the study, but I remember coming across research into water retention, the land's ability to "process" water, and overall water related issues when no-tilling habits are in place and when they are not...the hypothesis if I can remember it is that no-tilling does in fact encourage not only better moisture retention for the soil but can and does impact the lands ability to handle water levels better without as much crop loss.
Gotta do some digging...if I find it I will share.
|
|
|
|
Post by whitetaildave24 on Aug 3, 2017 16:33:35 GMT -5
Grant woods uses that philosophy quite often. No till and no fertizlizer if he can avoid it. Pretty neat to watch him do his work. Pretty smart fella.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2017 19:18:52 GMT -5
Just finished spraying my 1st ever food plot. I will drag a fence section and a pallet over on the 12th. After that wait for a forecast rain day and spread seeds and drag fence the day before. Should work okay not having the equipment. Since baiting is allow in Ohio I'm going to put a lick stick in the center. The stick will be 4 ft high on a copper pole to keep raccoons and other critters away.
|
|
|
|
Post by steiny on Aug 4, 2017 9:32:07 GMT -5
Grant woods uses that philosophy quite often. No till and no fertizlizer if he can avoid it. Pretty neat to watch him do his work. Pretty smart fella. Yeah, I'd like to have a no till planter one day. Would eliminate a few passes over the fields speeding things up, but the good ones are expensive. |
|
