University of Minnesota Extension to Host Minnesota Drainage Program Workshop at Farmamerica on August 13

The University of Minnesota Extension will host a session of the Minnesota Drainage Program on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at Farmamerica (7367 360th Ave, Waseca, MN). The workshop is designed for farmers, agricultural drainage contractors, local government unit (LGU) staff, commissioners, SWCD staff, and drainage engineers.

Participants can attend the morning session, the afternoon session, or the full day. Registration is $25 and includes a catered box lunch and access to vendor displays.

Morning Session: Drainage Basics and Precision Drainage (9:00 AM – 11:45 AM)

The morning program focuses on moving beyond traditional uniform grid tiling to precision drainage designs tailored to field contours, soil percolation rates, and crop root zone needs.

• Basics of Drainage Design: Dr. Gary Sands (UMN Extension) will cover key water management variables: soil types, drainage coefficients, tile depth, and tile spacing.
• Field System Design & Layouts: Mike Tveten (Ellingson Drainage) will present modern installation technologies and layout options, including grid, contour, precision, and controlled drainage systems.
• Planning Software: Tim Gieseke and Gary Sands will introduce DrainTool®, a free GIS software designed to assist landowners and contractors in calculating optimal tile depth and spacing for field-scale precision layouts.
• Controlled Drainage Overview: Tim Radatz (Discovery Farms) will present an overview of controlled drainage practices.
• Field Tour 1: Morning participants can attend a Guided Controlled Drainage Tour led by Tim Radatz from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM.

Lunch and vendor visiting will take place from 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM.

Afternoon Session: Local Coordination: Principles, Partners, and Process (1:00 PM – 3:30 PM) Tour 3:30-4:15.

The afternoon session addresses the administrative, technical, and governance frameworks required to align field-level tiling with county and watershed-scale drainage goals.

• Watershed Governance & Management: Rob Sip, Executive Director of the Red River Basin Watershed Management Board (RRBWMB), will present on governance models and local drainage management lessons from the Red River Basin.
• Coordination Frameworks: Bethany Bethke (MN DNR) will outline early coordination strategies, the Mediation Agreement, and the Red River Basin Project Team Handbook.
• Local Perspectives: Chris Howard (Waseca County Land & Water Resources Director), along with engineering consultants and county leaders, will discuss local coordination needs, ditch repair/improvement processes, and multi-partner project execution.
• Field Tour 2: Afternoon participants can join a Controlled Drainage Tour with Tim Radatz from 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM following closing evaluations.

Registration Details

To register for the event or to view full agenda details, visit z.umn.edu/MDPFarmamerica. For questions regarding content or accommodations, contact Tim Gieseke at 507-766-9495 or tgieseke@umn.edu.

University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.