Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS)
Task Force

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           “Are you letting your most precious resources go down the drain?”  The Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS) Task Force is hereby established as a technical work group (TWG) of the USDA Partnership Management Team (PMT) to assist in addressing and resolving water management issues on agriculturally drained lands in the 21st Century. The ADMS Task Force strongly believes that science and locally-led efforts can be merged to improve “Water Management for Agriculturally Drained Lands.”   

The PMT is a collaborative effort among the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cooperative State, Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The mission of the PMT is to identify and recommend prioritization of natural resources research and technology needs and to facilitate the development and adoption of technologies to fulfill the needs. The PMT assigns a Technical Work Group (TWG) for each approved potential national priority need.  Agricultural drainage management is one of the high priority national research needs that have been identified by the NRCS under the PMT Need-Request System. 

This Task Force will ensure the highest level of communication, coordination, and cooperation among scientists, engineers, and technical specialists to aid in solving environmental and socioeconomic problems associated with the hydrology of water draining from agricultural lands. The need to manage, conserve and improve the quantity and quality of water on agricultural lands is consistent with several Congressional mandates including Title II of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and Section 303 (d) of the Clean Water Act.  

Agricultural drainage management can involve different combinations of practices required to configure the conservation management system that will adequately treat the natural resource(s) of concern. In the past, surface and subsurface drains were used to remove excess water from the soil to provide conditions that are more favorable for crop production. In recent years, science has shown that improved drainage management is the key to enhancing surface and ground water quality from agricultural lands. In addition to reducing nitrate-nitrogen losses, science has shown that improved drainage management is a major factor in: (1) reducing surface runoff of pesticides, (2) designing and operating more efficient wetlands and conservation buffers, (3) improving fish and wildlife habitat, (4) reducing problems associated with invasive plants in wetlands and water ways, (5) reducing hazards associated with salts and toxic elements on irrigated lands, and (6) increasing opportunities for enhancing water conservation on range, pasture and crop lands while enhancing agricultural productivity without requiring additional agricultural lands. Practical experience has shown that modifications to existing drainage management systems or improved designs of replacement or new systems allow for better management of hydrologic factors and the quantities and timing of water releases. Farmers are finding that these modifications will reduce losses of nutrients, such as nitrates, and additionally conserve water in the soil for crop uptake and use during drier periods

The ADMS Task Force proposes first to integrate, synthesize, and recommend applications of existing technologies for  possible technical and financial assistance by NRCS and other USDA agencies. The ADMS Task Force will also assist in developing educational and training materials needed to implement the science-based management practices and technologies. Lastly, the ADMS Task Force will recommend additional research and development activities and priorities needed in the future to improve agricultural viability and environmental quality. The initial focus of the ADMS Task Force will be in the six states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, and Missouri.   

The specific responsibilities and tasks are as follows:

  1. Provide additional technical and scientific information on the development of environmental and societal goals and objectives, and performance measures required to improve drainage management practices and systems.

  2. Make sure that the completed and ongoing data sets for drainage management systems are catalogued, cross‑referenced, and integrated into a national agricultural database.

  3. Provide coordination of the technical, educational, and extension materials on the design, implementation, and operation of drainage management systems that supports its success and sustainability.

  4. Identify key gaps in drainage management systems and related agricultural management systems and propose coordinated research, inventory, data collection, modeling, and technical assistance information programs to address the gaps.

  5. Describe expertise and scientific investigations required to respond to key gaps in support of drainage management objectives.

  6. Describe and coordinate the expertise and scientific investigations required to document long‑term ecosystem and social system effects realized by implementation of drainage management objectives.

  7. Identify future science needs and recommended priorities for a coordinated science and research program to address long‑term drainage management requirements.

  8. Periodically review and revise priorities based on evaluation of progress toward achieving sustainable drainage management objectives. 

  9. Facilitate the exchange of scientific, technical, educational, extension, and financial assistance information and the use of interdisciplinary and partnership approaches by establishing advisory panels and convening scientific and technical assistance meetings, conferences, symposia, and workshops on topics relevant to drainage management systems.

  10. Technical, educational, and extension efforts will focus on improving design configurations and determining typical installation cost, effects on costs and on-farm management practices, reductions in pollutant loadings, cost savings for fertilizer and manure applications, benefits on crop yields and drought mitigation, and modifications that may be needed in the crop and animal industry and producer infrastructure requirements.

  11. Research and Development efforts will be focused on assessing and quantifying the multiple drainage management system benefits associated with improving surface and ground water quality, rehabilitating and enhancing wetland and riparian areas, improving fish and wildlife resources, reducing invasive plant species disasters, and managing water development and conservation especially under severe droughts and other extreme climatic conditions. 

          The membership of the technical committee for the ADMS Task Force will consist of the following:

a)  Four ADMS Task Force members designated annually by ARS;

b)  Four or more ADMS Task Force members designated annually by CSREES;

c)  Four ADMS Task Force members designated annually by NRCS; and,

d) Any member of the technical committee for the ADMS Task Force can be designated to represent the ADMS Task Force on the PMT.

The technical committee for the ADMS Task Force will elect co‑chairs for no less than a two-year term. These chairs will set the agenda of the ADMS Task Force meetings, make preliminary designations of work assignments, and assure timely completion and delivery of assignments to the ADMS Task Force and/or PMT. A quorum of the technical committee for the ADMS Task Force will consist of 50 percent + 1 (one) of the total number of voting members.

The technical committee for the ADMS Task Force will report directly to the PMT, as well as the appropriate program leaders or managers within ARS, CSREES, and NRCS on all matters pertaining to agricultural drainage management practices and systems. The ADMS Task Force will periodically invite customers, stakeholders, and partners from public and private constituents affiliated with State, Federal, and local organizations to attend meetings being held by the ADMS Task Force with the consent of the PMT.  The ADMS Task Force will convene these expert panels* at least annually to review scientific plans and progress, implementation plans, and program plans with regard to drainage management science, technical, and financial assistance information. These panels may periodically supplement their activities by appointing targeted subject matter expert panels and working with the ADMS Task Force to convene topical workshops to help address specific questions. These panels (and workshops) are seen as critical elements of the ADMS Task Force if it is to provide the best possible scientific, technical, and financial assistance information to the PMT and USDA.

The ADMS Task Force may recommend to the PMT such changes or additions as it deems necessary.  All business of the ADMS Task Force shall be conducted by consensus or by vote of the technical committee members with appropriate provision for written minority opinions. Continuing on the technical committee for the ADMS Task Force is contingent upon sufficient participation to adequately perform ADMS Task Force responsibilities. The full ADMS Task Force shall meet no less than semi-annually. All meetings of the full ADMS Task Force shall be publicly noticed and provide an opportunity for public comment.

Resolution

Preamble
 
Whereas, the Midwest’s 50 million acres of drained cropland, consisting of 31.4 million acres of subsurface drainage and 19.6 million surface drainage according to 1985 data, are some of the most productive agricultural lands in the Nation;

Whereas, these lands are of vital importance to the Nation’s food supply and security;

 Whereas, the maintenance, improvement, and management of these agricultural drainage systems is essential for this continued productivity and national security;

 Whereas, these agricultural water management systems were largely designed and installed before nonpoint source pollution loadings, mainly in the form of nitrate-nitrogen, phosphorus, and pesticides were identified as a water quality concerns;

Whereas, nutrient management coupled with changed design, installation, operation and maintenance of drainage systems, including subsurface and surface drainage water management, has been recognized by scientists and farmers as an effective set of practices in reducing pollution loading and improving crop production;

 Whereas, the locally led, watershed-science based approach using non-regulatory implementation with needed incentives to support public benefits is the most effective means of achieving changes leading to pollution load reductions;   

 Whereas, gaps in our knowledge limit our ability to quantify those effects with certainty, emphasizing the need for acceleration in research and development; and

 Whereas, these changes need to be tailored for geographic specific conditions such as climatic conditions, weather variables, soils, growing season, and cropping systems.

Now therefore, be it known that the Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS) Task Force supports:

 A goal to reduce nitrate loadings of surface water in the range of 20 to 40 percent through the adoption of new and improved drainage systems and water management practices;

 Implementation of surface and subsurface drainage practices and systems which will contribute to sustainability by improving and balancing environmental health, economic viability, and social well-being. These practices will reduce pollution loadings that contribute to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocations, and reduce hypoxic conditions in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and coastal waters;

Implementation of surface and subsurface drainage practices and systems which is based on an approach that emphasizes non-regulatory, incentives, science-based information and locally-led watershed decision making;

Designing and implementing of improved replacement drainage practices and systems which will achieve both agricultural production and environmental stewardship goals, such as reduced nitrate losses, profitability, and community well being;

 Using the best available drainage management technology as it exists today (modification of existing drainage systems must be implemented to improve drainage water management practices and systems for maintaining and enhancing agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship, including water conservation and reduction of nutrient losses);

 Monitoring and evaluation of the new and modified existing systems, and identifying improvements to be installed under the TMDL adaptive management approach, which will be required over an extended period of 10 years or more; and

 Research and technology development which will be required to refine the science to better design, implement, operate and maintain changes in agricultural drainage management systems.

*Expert panel members include representative farmers, growers, private consultants, manufacturing representatives, land improvement contractors, and other customers and stakeholders interested in improved drainage water management. drainage water management.