Installing Field Tile in Central Illinois

In agriculture, tile drainage is a type of drainage system that removes excess water from soil below its surface. While surface water can be drained by pumping, open ditches, or both, tile drainage is often the most prudent practice for draining subsurface water.

The phrase "tile drainage" derives from its original composition from tiles of fired clay. Today, tile drainage is any variation of this original system that functions in the same mode. Commonly HDPE and PVC tubing denominated "tile line" is used.

By installing tile drainage, the water table is effectively lowered and plants can properly develop their roots. The lack of water saturation of soil permits oxygen to remain in the pores of the soil for use by roots. Drain tile prevents the roots from being under the water table during wet periods, which can stress the plants. By removing excess water crops use the water that their roots have access to more effectively. An increase in crop yield can be summarized as forcing plants to develop more roots so that they can absorb more nutrients and water.

The same principle operates in the pots of house plants: their drainage holes in the bottoms evacuate excess water from the medium so that air can fill the pores of the medium and be available to the roots which, if deprived of air by the saturation of the medium with water for a sufficient duration, will rot and die. Installing tile drainage in a field in a grid pattern achieves the same effect for a field of several hundred acres.
Another crucial reason for drainage is that an excess of water can limit access to the land, especially by heavy machinery: vehicles and trailers sink in and rip up wet soil and may become stuck in it. Access to a field is crucial because most modern agriculture depends on use of heavy machinery to cultivate the seedbed; plant the crop; cultivate the soil after planting; apply fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, et cetera; and harvest.

For more information see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tile_dr...