Dl. Thomas et al., AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE EFFECTS ON WATER-QUALITY IN SOUTHEASTERN US, Journal of irrigation and drainage engineering, 121(4), 1995, pp. 277-282
A review of literature and Summary of research results are presented o
n the effects of drainage on water quality in North Carolina, South Ca
rolina, Georgia, and Florida. Principal findings from the pre-dominate
coarse-textured soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain include increased
nitrate-nitrogen losses associated with improved subsurface drainage.
Benefits of drainage include potential reductions in organic nitrogen
(N) and phosphorus (P) losses from these mineral soils. Results of dr
ainage investigations on organic soils in the Everglades Agricultural
Area of Florida indicate that phosphorus is the primary limiting facto
r for eutrophication problems in Lake Okeechobee. P losses can be pote
ntially reduced by using slow versus fast drainage, retaining drainage
water from vegetable and sugarcane fields (on sugarcane or fallow are
as), and minimizing water-table fluctuations. Some of these potential
practices and their resultant effects need additional verification for
application to other areas and conditions.