Illini Union Hotel, 1401 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801
April 1-3, 2025
Pre-Conference Saturated Buffer Design Workshop on March 31, 2025
Targeted Outcomes
- Raise awareness of the importance of agricultural water management to farm profitability, local, regional, and national initiatives to advance soil health, water quality, watershed restoration, risk reduction, and climate resiliency.
- Strengthen understanding of drivers for practice implementation and identify impediments to conservation drainage practice adoption.
- Prioritize information needs to address risks.
- Understand how to advance conservation drainage as an integral component of managing food production, regenerative agriculture, and terrestrial water supplies under changing climate conditions.
- Advance conservation drainage implementation.
Agenda
Monday, March 31
2:30-5:00 pm – Pre-Conference Saturated Buffer Design Workshop
Instructor: Dr. Ehsan Ghane, Michigan State University
Workshop Flyer
Detailed Agenda
This workshop will feature the new DRAINMOD-based saturated buffer tool (SBT) that helps design and evaluate the performance of saturated buffers based on site-specific conditions.
Benefits: Learn how to optimize the design of saturated buffers for maximum nitrate load removal. Learn how to estimate the cost of nitrogen removal.
Location: The workshop will take place in the Agricultural Engineering Science Building, Room 208, 1304 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL (5 min walk from the Illini Union Hotel).
Who should attend: NRCS personnel, state and local agencies, and water professionals.
Funding agency: The tool was funded by the USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant Classic (Award No. USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIG-20-GEN0010808).
Contact ghane@msu.edu for questions
6:00-8:00 pm – Welcome Reception, Light buffet and cash bar at the ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center, Heritage Room #107 (1101 S Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801)
| Tuesday, April 1 |
|---|
| Welcome and Opening Session Recording Welcome and Introductions Moderator: Jeppe Kjaersgaard, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, CDN Chair Germán Bollero, Dean of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Logan Chamberlain, Advanced Drainage Systems Introductions and CDN Overview Opening Session Moderator: Luciano Alves de Oliveira, University of Illinois NRCS Support for Conservation Drainage Practices – Tammy Willis, Illinois State Conservationist, NRCS Illinois Programs for Conservation Drainage Practices – Elliot Lagacy, Illinois Department of Agriculture Questions and answers with presenters |
| Drainage Successes Recording Conservation Drainage Successes Moderator: Chuck Brandel, ISG Scaling Conservation with the Wabash River RCPP – Seth Harden, The Nature Conservancy Iowa’s Batch and Build – Keegan Kult, Ag Drainage Management Coalition Successes from Ohio – Justin Mcbride, Ohio Department of Agriculture Minnesota Water Storage Successes – Chuck Brandel, ISG |
| ABCD Session Recording ABCD: Accruing Benefits of Conservation Drainage Moderator: Jane Frankenberger, Purdue University This session will explore the potential benefits of conservation drainage on air quality, water quality, and crop yield, along with methods for assessing these impacts. We will include a group discussion on how these benefits influence adoption and identify information needs for effectively communicating the full range of benefits. Presenters: Steven Hall, University of Wisconsin Morgan Davis, University of Missouri Tyler Groh, Pennsylvania State University Laura Christianson, University of Illinois |
| State Drainage Reports Session Recording State Drainage Reports by NCERA-217 Members and Poster Introduction Moderator: Sushant Mehan, South Dakota State University Iowa Drainage Update – Matt Helmers, Iowa State University Missouri Drainage Update – Kelly Nelson, University of Missouri Pennsylvania Drainage Update – Tyler Groh, Pennsylvania State University South Dakota Drainage Update – Sushant Mehan, South Dakota State University Illinois Drainage Update Luciano – Alves de Oliveira, University of Illinois Poster Introductions |
| Wednesday, April 2 |
|---|
| NCERA-217 Business Meeting |
| Concurrent Session 1, Conservation Drainage Training for Practitioners (Not Recorded) Instructor: Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership Concurrent Session 2, Conservation Drainage Research (Recording) Moderator: Tyler Groh, Pennsylvania State University Drainage Water Recycling Performance in Southwest Minnesota – Jeff Strock, University of Minnesota Surface Infiltration in Two Saturated Riparian Buffers in Central Iowa – Tyler Groh, Pennsylvania State University Woodchip age and moisture in bacterial vs. fungal denitrification dynamics in bioreactors – Niranga Wickramarathne, Austin Peay State University Unveiling the Secrets of Saturated Buffers – Ehsan Ghane, Michigan State University An innovative system of Woodchip Bioreactor and Biochar Channel for treating nutrients from drainage water – Carolina Diaz Garcia, University of Illinois Effect of Phosphorus Hotspots and Controlled Drainage on Subsurface Phosphorus Loss – Babak Dialameh, The Ohio State University |
| Concurrent Session 1, Conservation Drainage Training for Practitioners (Not Recorded) Concurrent Session 2, Collaboration in Conservation Drainage Research (Recording – Panel Only) Moderator: Jane Frankenberger, Purdue University Introduction Funding for Conservation Drainage Research – Jim Dobrowolski, USDA NIFA (Presentation PDF) Industry, Private Sector, and Funders Panel Discussion |
| State Nutrient Reduction Strategy Session Recording Conservation Drainage Advancements through State Nutrient Reduction Strategies Moderator: Chris Hay, Hay Water Solutions, LLC The session will provide an overview of how conservation drainage advancements are reflected through the state nutrient reduction strategies. Introduction Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy: Conservation Drainage in the Strategy – Trevor Sample, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Indiana State Nutrient Reduction Strategy: Conservation Drainage in the Strategy – Julie Harrold, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Conservation Drainage in the Science Assessment – Jane Frankenberger, Purdue University and Chris Hay, Hay Water Solutions, LLC Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy: Conservation Drainage in the Strategy – Shane Wulf, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Conservation Drainage and Outcome Measurement – Elizabeth Schwab, Iowa State University |
| Research and Discoveries Session Recording Research and Discoveries for Conservation Drainage Moderator: Gabriel Johnson, Iowa State University Introduction Minnesota Drainage Update – Lindsay Pease, University of Minnesota Michigan Drainage Update – Ehsan Ghane, Michigan State University Storage and Flood Control: What are the Benefits of Storage and is it Cost Effective to Recycle Captured Drainage Water – Chuck Brandel, ISG and Chris Hay, Hay Water Solutions LLC Conservation Ditch Research in Ohio – Jon Witter, The Ohio State University Two-Stage and Self-Forming Ditches: Examples from Ohio – Justin McBride, Ohio Department of Agriculture Questions and answers with presenters |
| Moving Conservation Drainage Forward: Committee Reports and Next Steps Moderator: Jeppe Kjaersgaard, CDN Chair |
| Closing Moderators: Jeppe Kjaersgaard, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Keegan Kult, Ag Drainage Management Coalition |
| Thursday, April 3, Field Trip |
|---|
| Boxed breakfast in lobby |
| Farm of the Future |
| Nutrien nutrient and drainage research farm (tentative) |
| Lunch at Barnhart Prairie Restoration |
| St. Joseph Wetland |
| Rigg’s Brewery |
| Bus returns to hotel |
Thank you to our 2025 CDN Annual Meeting Sponsors
Presenting:
Gold:
Silver:
Bronze:
