The Micro-Drainage Concept in a Nutshell
December 6, 2021

The Micro-Drainage Concept in a Nutshell

While micro-drainage can benefit the environment and increase your crop yield, it can be a tough concept to wrap your head around. By understanding how micro-drainage works to improve your agricultural drainage, we hope you will be able to understand the value it can offer.


Micro-Drainage Solutions

Micro-drainage focuses on surface drainage, sub-surface drainage, and GPS grade control to increase organic matter and microorganisms in the soil, minimize tillage, and improve water drainage and retention. This helps crops maintain a thick root structure for healthier growth and higher yields.


To achieve this, fields are reshaped and graded using 3D modeling technology to identify and fill depression pockets and create a positive grade. Narrow pipe drains are also installed two feet below the soil with close lateral spacing to enhance drainage.


What’s Right For You?

The need for micro drainage depends on three main factors: the amount of rainfall an area receives during the year, the intensity of that rainfall, and the type of crop that is being grown. Understanding the soil biology is a vital first step in optimizing water infiltration and drainage, especially for sensitive plants. Solutions may also need to be adapted based on your preferred farming style.


If you’re interested in using micro-drainage for your fields, don’t hesitate to reach out to Richland Micro Drainage. With solutions available for diverse farming styles, we can help you implement a solution specific to your property’s needs.

By David Garman September 12, 2025
For farmers seeking to install or upgrade their subsurface drainage, efficiency and precision are paramount. Manual pipe cutting and handling can be a cumbersome and often risky process, requiring extra labor and increasing the chance of errors. Richland Micro Drainage, a leader in agricultural drainage solutions, offers a game-changing tool: the Micro Cutter TCF-100. By using drainage pipe cutters for efficient installation, you gain complete control over your project, saving time, money, and headaches. Drainage Pipe Cutters and Crushers: A New Level of Control The Micro Cutter is not just a piece of equipment; it's a tool that empowers you with total control over your drainage installation. Our drainage pipe cutters and crushers eliminate the need for an extra hired hand, freeing up money and mitigating potential injury liability. With an approximate weight of just 200 lbs., its small and manageable size is deceptive, as its capabilities are vast.  The Micro Cutter gives you complete command over your pipe. It mounts on any brand of plow and works with open or closed center hydraulics, making it a universal tool for a variety of applications. You can control the pipe in forward or reverse and adjust pressure for precise downward feed, even in challenging conditions. The clean, straight cut it provides means no end caps are needed, and by crushing the pipe in a half-moon shape, the surrounding dirt holds it shut, preventing debris from entering the line. Seamless Integration with Our Agricultural Drainage Solutions The benefits of the Micro Cutter extend far beyond its immediate function; they are central to the success of our entire micro drainage concept. The ability to control your pipe and avoid stretched or tangled messes is crucial for the precision required for perpendicular drainage. When you install lines perpendicular to water flow using GPS, every foot of pipe counts. A clean, precise cut ensures seamless connections and optimal flow. Furthermore, the Micro Cutter perfectly complements our 2-inch drainage pipe, a key component of our agricultural drainage solutions. The Micro Cutter works flawlessly with 2”, 3”, and 4” pipe, giving you a versatile tool for any job. The ease of use and low investment cost of the Micro Cutter are key factors in achieving a faster return on investment and a more successful drainage project overall. Richland Micro Drainage is committed to providing farmers with innovative tools and agricultural drainage solutions that enhance efficiency and profitability. Our Micro Cutter is a testament to this commitment, offering a smart, safe, and effective way to manage your drainage pipe. Ready to take complete control of your drainage installation? Contact Richland Micro Drainage today to learn more about our drainage pipe cutters and crushers and how they can revolutionize your farming operation.
By David Garman September 5, 2025
For farmers in Ohio, managing water is a constant challenge. The state's diverse climate and soil types demand a strategic approach to drainage, and Richland Micro Drainage is at the forefront, providing innovative drainage products for efficient water management in Ohio farms. We don't just offer solutions; we partner with you to ensure your land remains productive for generations. Our expertise extends from professional services to providing the high-quality products that form the foundation of long lasting drainage solutions for Ohio farmers. Affordable Surface Drainage Solutions in Ohio Richland Micro Drainage understands that effective drainage doesn't have to break the bank. We offer affordable surface drainage solutions in Ohio, and beyond, designed to manage water flow above ground and prevent costly erosion and crop loss. Our approach uses cutting-edge RTK topography mapping to accurately identify flow passes and depression pockets. This data allows us to precisely grade your land and design effective ditching or terracing. By offering a range of equipment like the Model 24 Ditcher-Terracer and the 3-PT 26 3-Point Ditcher, we empower you to take control of your surface water management. These tools, which can be run with your own farm tractor, make implementing affordable surface drainage solutions in Ohio, or other states, a practical reality, saving you money on external labor while you improve your land. This strategic investment is key to achieving consistent water flow and preventing the kinds of drainage issues that lead to expensive repairs down the line. Custom Agricultural Drainage Design Services in Ohio The secret to a truly effective drainage system lies in its design, and Richland Micro Drainage provides industry-leading custom agricultural drainage design services in Ohio. We understand that a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn't work. Our experts use advanced software like AGREM to create a unique blueprint for your farm, considering your specific soil type, topography, and farming practices—whether you're traditional, no-till, or strip-till. This custom design ensures that our micro drainage systems, with our 2-inch pipe and shallow, closer spacing, are installed exactly where they'll be most effective. This precision is what makes our solutions so long-lasting and effective. It's about working with the natural characteristics of your land to enhance its productivity, not fight against it. Innovative Products for Optimal Water Management  Richland Micro Drainage is not only a service provider but also a leading supplier of innovative drainage products for efficient water management in Ohio farms. Our high-quality 2-inch drainage pipe and installation equipment, such as the Micro Plow and Micro Reel, are designed for superior performance and cost-effectiveness. We are dedicated to putting the best tools in the hands of Ohio farmers to help them build long lasting drainage solutions. By choosing Richland Micro Drainage, you're investing in both proven practices and cutting-edge products, all backed by a network of experienced Ohio contractors. Our combined approach ensures you get the most out of your farmland, today and for years to come. For custom agricultural drainage design services in Ohio, and beyond, and a full range of drainage products, we are your trusted partner.
By David Garman August 29, 2025
Soil erosion is a pervasive and costly threat to agricultural productivity, leading to lost topsoil, diminished fertility, and environmental degradation. Farmers are constantly seeking effective soil erosion prevention strategies that are both sustainable and economically viable. Richland Micro Drainage understands these critical challenges and offers comprehensive erosion control methods that provide versatile advantages for the health and productivity of your farmland, focusing on cost-effective soil erosion prevention methods. Understanding the Cost of Erosion The impact of soil erosion extends far beyond the visible loss of topsoil. It reduces water infiltration, hampers nutrient retention, and leads to increased pest and disease pressure. Over time, these factors translate directly into higher input costs, reduced yields, and ultimately, a less profitable and sustainable farming operation. Addressing this unsustainable issue with proper drainage and knowledge is paramount. Effective Erosion Control Methods with Richland Micro Drainage Richland Micro Drainage provides tailored solutions that directly combat soil erosion, leveraging a combination of expertise, advanced equipment, and strategic water management. Our approach ensures that you limit or even prevent erosion entirely, safeguarding your most valuable asset: your soil. Precision Surface Drainage: Our ditch construction services utilize RTK topography mapping to precisely reshape your fields. By eliminating depression pockets and creating a positive grade, we ensure water flows efficiently across the surface, significantly reducing erosive runoff. This highly controlled flow is a fundamental erosion control method. Optimized Subsurface Drainage: The installation of our micro drainage systems directly addresses the root causes of erosion linked to oversaturated soil. By efficiently removing excess water from the root zone, our 2-inch drainage pipes prevent water logging that makes soil vulnerable to detachment and transport. This is a crucial, cost-effective soil erosion prevention method because healthy, well-drained soil is more resilient. Integrated Soil Health Practices: We advocate for complementary practices that further enhance soil erosion prevention, such as the use of cover crops. While cover crops physically protect the soil surface, our drainage ensures they thrive, enabling them to build organic matter that improves soil structure and reduces its susceptibility to erosion. Cost-Effective Soil Erosion Prevention Methods for Long-Term Gains Investing in Richland Micro Drainage solutions is a cost-effective soil erosion prevention method with long-term financial benefits. By preventing soil loss, you reduce the need for costly nutrient replacements, maintain consistent yields, and improve the overall market value of your land. Our micro drainage systems are designed for durability and efficiency, providing lasting protection against erosion.  Richland Micro Drainage stands ready to help you overcome the challenges of soil erosion. With our specialized drainage equipment, proven methods, and deep understanding of agricultural land, we provide the versatile advantages you need for the health and productivity of your farm. Contact Richland Micro Drainage today to learn how our comprehensive erosion control methods help you achieve effective soil erosion prevention and secure your farm's future.
By David Garman August 22, 2025
Farming on hilly terrain presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to effective water management. Uncontrolled runoff on slopes leads to severe soil erosion, nutrient loss, and diminished crop yields. Fortunately, advanced contour controlled drainage techniques for hilly terrains offer powerful solutions. Richland Micro Drainage specializes in designing and implementing sophisticated contour drainage systems that transform sloped farmland into productive, sustainable acreage, making us the go-to choice for micro drainage services on challenging topography. The Challenge of Hilly Agricultural Land On sloped fields, gravity dictates water's path, often leading to rapid runoff down the steepest gradient. This not only strips away precious topsoil but also carries away vital nutrients, leaving fields less fertile. Traditional drainage methods, designed for flatter ground, are often ineffective or even detrimental in these environments. This is where contour controlled drainage techniques for hilly terrains become indispensable, offering a way to manage water flow intelligently across the slope. Introducing Contour Drainage Systems Contour drainage systems are specifically designed to work with the natural contours of the land. Instead of running straight up and down a slope, drainage lines follow the elevation curves, effectively slowing down water movement and directing it along a controlled path. This approach offers several key benefits: Erosion Prevention: By reducing the velocity of water runoff, contour drainage dramatically minimizes soil erosion, preserving the topsoil essential for crop growth. Improved Water Infiltration: Slowing down water allows more time for it to soak into the soil, replenishing moisture reserves and reducing runoff volume. Enhanced Nutrient Retention: With less runoff, fewer nutrients are lost from the field, leading to more efficient fertilizer use and healthier crops. Optimized Field Operations: Controlled water flow makes fields more accessible for machinery, even after rainfall. Richland Micro Drainage: Expertise in Hilly Terrain Micro Drainage Richland Micro Drainage stands as the expert in implementing contour controlled drainage techniques for hilly terrains. We understand that effective contour drainage systems require careful planning and precision installation. Our patented advanced designs, developed by Robert, Chad, and Jeremy Meiners, are specifically engineered to drain and control water tables effectively on fields with significant topographical change. We utilize cutting-edge RTK topography mapping to precisely map your land’s contours, identifying flow paths and ensuring every drainage tile is placed exactly where it needs to be. This precision is vital for creating a system that truly works with your unique slopes. Our micro drainage concept, with its shallow 2-inch pipes and closer spacing, is particularly effective in these nuanced environments, providing the precise water control necessary for fragile sloped soils.  Choosing Richland Micro Drainage means partnering with experts who transform your hilly agricultural land. Our contour drainage systems not only manage water effectively but also contribute to the long-term health and productivity of your farm, ensuring that even challenging terrains yield successful harvests. Contact us today to learn how our specialized solutions can benefit your sloped fields.
By David Garman August 15, 2025
Effective water management on your farm begins at the surface. For farmers across Ohio, particularly those needing land grading and ditch construction services in Richland County, optimizing surface water flow is crucial for preventing waterlogging, erosion, and ensuring peak productivity. Richland Micro Drainage offers expert ditch construction services that utilize cutting-edge technology, ensuring your land is perfectly prepared for optimal drainage. The Role of Precise Ditch Construction Services In agriculture, ditches are more than just channels; they are engineered components of a comprehensive water management system. Whether it's guiding excess rainfall away from fields or managing runoff, precision in ditch construction services is paramount. Poorly designed or executed ditches lead to new drainage problems, increased erosion, or inefficient use of valuable farmland. That's why Richland Micro Drainage focuses on precise planning and execution for every project, from small field ditches to larger drainage canals. Leveraging RTK Topography for Superior Land Grading At Richland Micro Drainage, our approach to land grading and ditch construction services in Richland County is rooted in advanced technology. For all our ditch work, we begin by creating a detailed water model of your field using RTK topography. Our team utilizes an ATV equipped with a data collector – a more accurate method than even lidar data for our purposes – to precisely map your terrain. This process allows us to: Determine Flow Passes: Accurately identify the natural pathways water takes across your field. Map Elevation Lines: Understand the subtle changes in elevation that dictate water movement. Pinpoint Depression Pockets: Locate areas where water tends to collect, which are often the source of drainage issues. This precise RTK topography data forms the blueprint for all subsequent ditch construction services, ensuring that every ditch is placed and graded to achieve maximum efficiency in water removal. Optimizing Water Drainage for Richland County Farms With this comprehensive data, Richland Micro Drainage designs and executes land grading and ditch construction services in Richland County that transform challenging areas into highly productive farmland. By reshaping the field with precision, we eliminate all small depression pockets and create a positive grade across the entire field. This means water travels down the designed grade and into ditches, effectively carried away from the field. This not only prevents oversaturation but also significantly reduces the risk of soil erosion and nutrient runoff, preserving your valuable topsoil for future harvests.  Richland Micro Drainage is dedicated to helping farmers optimize their water drainage through expertly executed ditch construction services. Our commitment to precision ensures that whether you're battling standing water or simply seeking to enhance overall field efficiency, your land will achieve its full potential. Contact us today to discuss your agricultural land ditch construction needs and take the first step towards optimized water drainage.
By David Garman August 8, 2025
For farmers aiming to achieve optimal yields and soil health, precision subsurface drainage is non-negotiable. Richland Micro Drainage offers cutting-edge micro plow drainage equipment, fundamentally changing how efficient water management is achieved. As leading drainage equipment suppliers, we understand the need for specialized tools that deliver superior results, particularly for the precise installation of subsurface drainage. The Power of the Micro Plow for Subsurface Drainage The Micro Plow is a revolutionary piece of drainage equipment designed specifically for our acclaimed micro drainage concept. Unlike bulkier, traditional plows, the Micro Plow 2448 boasts light specifications (approximately 2,000 lbs.) that allow it to get the job done efficiently with a minimum horsepower requirement of just 100 HP. Its innovative design ensures accuracy and efficacy in placing drainage pipes exactly where they are needed. The benefits of micro plow for subsurface drainage are numerous and directly impact your farm's productivity: Perpendicular Drainage: The Micro Plow, used with GPS technology, enables perpendicular drainage. Installing drainage lines perpendicular to the natural water flow greatly enhances the system's ability to intercept and remove excess moisture from your fields. Shallow & Closer Spacing: This equipment facilitates the installation of shallow drainage (up to 48 inches maximum plow depth, but often around 24 inches for our 2-inch pipe concept) with closer lateral spacings. This maximizes drainage capability in the critical root zone, ensuring water is removed efficiently. Precision and Control: Equipped with a proportional control valve, the Micro Plow ensures exceptional accuracy during installation. This precision is vital for maintaining the proper grade and depth of your drainage pipes, directly impacting the system's effectiveness. Why Choose Richland Micro Drainage as Your Drainage Equipment Suppliers? As dedicated drainage equipment suppliers, Richland Micro Drainage doesn't just sell machinery; we offer a complete solution built on our proven micro drainage concept. Our Micro Plow is designed to install 2-inch, 3-inch, 4-inch, and even 6-inch boots, providing versatility for various farm needs. Its robust build, with replaceable shear, cone, and poly sides, ensures durability and ease of maintenance. The shorter boot lengths provide less resistance, further increasing efficiency. We empower farmers with the right tools to achieve optimal subsurface drainage. Our light-specification Micro Plow, requiring a minimum weight of 17,000 lbs., fits Category 3 and 4N three-point hitches, making it compatible with a wide range of farm tractors. This accessibility, combined with its precision, makes it an indispensable asset for any farmer looking to improve their land. For effective water management, the right drainage equipment makes all the difference. Choose Richland Micro Drainage for the benefits of micro plow for subsurface drainage and partner with leading drainage equipment suppliers who understand your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our Micro Plow and how it can transform your agricultural land.
By David Garman July 25, 2025
In modern agriculture, achieving optimal water management hinges on an accurate understanding of your land. RTK topography mapping for agricultural drainage provides this precise insight, allowing farmers to make informed decisions about their fields. Richland Micro Drainage leverages cutting-edge RTK topography for drainage to offer superior solutions for field leveling and highly effective micro drainage systems. Field Topography Mapping: The Essential First Step Before any effective drainage system can be designed, a detailed understanding of your field topography mapping is crucial. Traditional methods can be time-consuming and less precise. However, RTK topography mapping for agricultural drainage offers centimeter-level accuracy, giving farmers an incredibly detailed digital elevation model of their land. This precise data allows us to identify subtle changes in elevation, pinpoint depression pockets where water tends to collect, and accurately determine natural flow paths across your fields. The Power of RTK Topography for Drainage RTK topography for drainage provides real-time kinematic corrections to GPS data, ensuring unparalleled accuracy. This technology is a game-changer for several reasons: Optimal Drainage Tile Placement: With precise elevation data, Richland Micro Drainage can design and install drainage tiles exactly where they will be most effective. This means less wasted material and more efficient water removal from the root zone. Effective Field Leveling: For areas requiring surface drainage, RTK mapping guides field leveling efforts with incredible precision. This allows for the creation of a positive grade across the entire field, eliminating problematic ponding and ensuring water travels efficiently away from crops. Reduced Erosion: By understanding and controlling water flow precisely, RTK-guided solutions drastically reduce the risk of soil erosion, protecting your valuable topsoil and nutrients. Richland Micro Drainage: Advanced Solutions for Water Infiltration Richland Micro Drainage stays with you through every step of this process. We utilize RTK GPS data collectors to create highly accurate water models of your fields. This detailed information forms the foundation for designing both surface and subsurface drainage systems. Our approach ensures that every drainage tile is placed optimally based on the field's contours, leading to exceptional water infiltration and micro drainage success. Our commitment to technological advancement means we offer: GCS:Pipe and RTK GPS integration: Controlling tile plows with market-leading precision for accurate tile installation. SD Drain Tiling Package: A comprehensive software and hardware solution for precise ditching or tiling. Ditch Assist: A standard kit for automated operation, ensuring consistent and efficient grading. Punisher GNSS receivers: Customized for rugged use and machine control, offering unbeatable precision. LaserTech Machine Control Systems: Providing visual grade information and automated control for various grading applications. By integrating these advanced tools and expertise into our services, Richland Micro Drainage enables you to place drainage tiles exactly where they are most effective, based on the precise flow of your land. Secure Your Harvest with Precision Topography Investing in RTK topography mapping for agricultural drainage with Richland Micro Drainage means investing in the future productivity of your farm. We help you move beyond guesswork, providing data-driven field topography mapping that ensures optimal water infiltration and micro drainage success. Contact Richland Micro Drainage today to learn how RTK topography for drainage can transform your land and maximize your yields.
By David Garman July 18, 2025
For Ohio farmers seeking to optimize their land and maximize yields, effective water management is paramount. Richland Micro Drainage understands the diverse needs of Ohio agriculture and boasts a network of skilled and certified drainage contractors in Ohio, ready to bring precision drainage solutions to your fields. Whether you're a traditional farmer, embrace no-till practices, or specialize in strip-till, we have a local expert equipped to transform your land. Why Choose a Local Drainage Contractor? Ohio's varied landscape and soil types demand a nuanced approach to drainage. Local drainage contractors in Ohio understand the specific challenges of your region, from the heavy clay soils of the northwest to the rolling hills of the southeast. They possess invaluable knowledge of local rainfall patterns, soil composition, and drainage regulations, ensuring that your system is tailored for optimal performance and long-term sustainability. Richland Micro Drainage: Connecting You with Ohio's Best Richland Micro Drainage has carefully selected and partnered with the top drainage contractors in Ohio, ensuring that you receive the highest quality service and expertise. Our network includes experienced professionals located throughout the state, including: Shreve, OH: Hickory Valley Tiling (Nelson Troyer, 330-231-5183) Peebles, OH: Green Acres Farm (Marcus Yutzy, 937-892-0555) Shelby, OH: Precision Micro Drainage (Landis Martin, 570-412-7547) Columbiana, OH: Van Pelt Farms (Denver Vanpelt, 330-482-9364) Fostoria, OH: Larry Boes (419-722-9671) And many more! Our contractors are equipped to handle all aspects of drainage installation, from initial site assessment and system design to expert installation and ongoing support. Benefits of Working with a Richland Micro Drainage Contractor Expertise in Micro Drainage: Our contractors are trained and certified in the installation of our innovative micro drainage systems, which utilize smaller diameter pipes and closer spacing for superior water management. Customized Solutions: We understand that every farm is unique. Our contractors will work closely with you to design a drainage system tailored to your specific needs, soil type, and farming practices. Improved Soil Health: Our micro drainage systems promote healthy soil by preventing waterlogging, improving aeration, and enhancing nutrient availability. Increased Crop Yields: By optimizing water management, our drainage solutions help you achieve higher crop yields and maximize your profitability. Long-Term Sustainability: Our systems are designed for durability and longevity, ensuring that your investment provides lasting benefits for your farm.  Don't settle for subpar drainage. Choose a Richland Micro Drainage contractor in Ohio and experience the difference that expert knowledge and quality solutions can make. Contact us today to find a local expert and transform your land for a more productive future.
By David Garman July 11, 2025
When farmers think about optimizing their land, the choice between traditional tillage and conservation practices like no-till or strip-till often comes to mind. However, a crucial element often overlooked is the impact of water management within these systems. Richland Micro Drainage understands that effective drainage is key to success regardless of your approach, and we are experts at tailoring solutions for all farming methods. Farmers in regions like Ohio and surrounding states frequently weigh the pros and cons of comparing strip-till and no-till methods for corn production. Both are conservation tillage practices that reduce soil disturbance compared to conventional methods, but they differ significantly in their approach and impact on corn yields. No-Till: Benefits and Challenges for Corn No-till involves planting directly into undisturbed soil, leaving all crop residue on the surface. This method excels at soil erosion control, building organic matter, and improving water infiltration over the long term. It also significantly reduces fuel and labor costs. However, for corn production, particularly in the colder, wetter soils common in early Ohio spring, no-till can present challenges. Slower soil warming and delayed emergence can occur, potentially leading to reduced early growth and sometimes lower yields compared to tilled systems. Nutrient stratification, where essential nutrients remain near the surface, can also be an issue. Strip-Till: The Advantage for Corn Yields Strip-till farming offers a compelling alternative, often striking a balance between intense tillage and full no-till. It involves tilling only narrow strips (typically 6-10 inches wide and 4-8 inches deep) where corn will be planted, leaving the soil between the rows undisturbed. This method addresses some of the no-till challenges by providing a warmer, drier, and more mellow seedbed for rapid corn germination and early growth. This head start can be critical for corn in cooler spring conditions. So, how strip-till farming improves soil health and crop yields is multifaceted. The tilled strip provides ideal conditions for planting and allows for precise, deep placement of fertilizer directly in the root zone, improving nutrient efficiency. Meanwhile, the undisturbed areas between rows maintain beneficial residue cover for erosion control and moisture conservation, mimicking many no-till benefits for farmers. Many Ohio farmers report that strip-till vs. no-till often shows strip-till farming leading to higher corn yields, especially in heavy, poorly drained soils or during cool, wet springs. Richland Micro Drainage: Enhancing Both Methods for Optimal Corn Production Richland Micro Drainage understands that whether you lean towards strip-till vs. no-till for your corn production, effective water management is non-negotiable. Our micro drainage solutions are designed to enhance the inherent benefits of either system: For No-Till: Our systems ensure that even undisturbed fields have efficient subsurface drainage, preventing saturation that can hinder biological activity and lead to colder, wetter seedbeds. This helps alleviate some common challenges for no-till corn in less-than-ideal spring conditions. For Strip-Till: We ensure the tilled strips drain optimally, allowing them to warm and dry out even faster, maximizing the "express lane" benefits that strip-till farming offers for corn emergence. Our solutions prevent water from collecting in the tilled strips, which could otherwise lead to erosion. Richland Micro Drainage helps you maximize how strip-till farming improves soil health and crop yields by providing the ideal water conditions. By implementing our proven drainage solutions, farmers engaged in comparing strip-till and no-till methods for corn production can achieve superior results, leading to healthier soil and more profitable harvests in Ohio and across the Midwest. Contact us to discuss your farm's unique needs.
By David Garman July 4, 2025
The idea of draining excess water from agricultural fields is as old as farming itself. From early civilizations shaping land to hand-dug ditches of the early 1900s, the goal has always been to bring "idle acres into production that were too wet." These initial efforts, while laborious, proved a fundamental truth: better drainage meant more productive land. However, the true revolution in water management, leading to today's sophisticated micro drainage concept, is a story of continuous innovation. From Ditches to Tiles: Early Discoveries The early 20th century saw farmers recognizing that while surface moisture could escape via ditches and canals, even greater productivity was unlocked if the subsoil could be drained. This insight laid the groundwork for subsurface drainage, but the methods remained cumbersome and expensive for decades. Imagine the sheer effort involved in hand-digging extensive subsurface channels! The widespread adoption of subsurface drainage awaited technological advancements. The Game-Changing 1970s and 1980s The real paradigm shift in the drainage industry occurred in the 1970s and 1980s with three pivotal discoveries. First, the advent of the plastic corrugated tile transformed the landscape of drainage. Suddenly, tile became significantly more cost-effective to produce, lighter and easier to transport, and far simpler to install than traditional clay tiles. This innovation drastically reduced the logistical and financial barriers to implementing subsurface drainage on a larger scale. The second, and equally crucial, discovery was the use of lasers and automatic controls on ditching machines. This technological leap allowed for incredibly precise grade maintenance during installation. No longer did farmers rely solely on the eye and manual adjustments; machines could now lay drainage tile with consistent slopes, ensuring optimal water flow and maximum efficiency. These twin advancements made widespread, systematic subsurface drainage a practical reality for many. The Birth of the Micro Drainage Concept Even with these breakthroughs, a farmer in North Central Ohio, Mark Martin, saw room for even greater efficiency. He had utilized subsurface drainage for many years on his own farm and understood its benefits firsthand. However, the escalating cost of buying and installing larger 4-inch tile on conventional 40-foot to 100-foot lateral spacings was becoming economically unsustainable. This challenge spurred the development of the micro drainage concept. This modern approach, championed by Richland Micro Drainage, leverages the innovations of the past but refines them for today's economic and environmental realities. It involves using smaller (typically 2-inch) plastic corrugated tile installed at shallower depths and with much closer lateral spacing. This design maximizes drainage efficiency in the root zone, is more cost-effective, and integrates seamlessly with advanced GPS-controlled installation. Today, the micro drainage concept offers farmers the ultimate evolution in water management, ensuring every acre reaches its fullest potential by adapting historical lessons with cutting-edge precision. Contact Richland Micro Drainage for additional information as to how our micro drainage concepts could be put to work on your farm.