How does drainage water management affect soil quality?
This question has not been studied under field conditions, so the answer is based on knowledge from related studies. A small increase in soil organic matter content is likely with drainage water management, and this would be a positive effect on soil quality. Drainage water management will cause prolonged wetness during the non-growing season, and this may promote the breakdown of aggregates. But normal drying of the soil is likely during the growing season, and this process contributes to aggregate formation and stability. Field operations carried out when the soil is wet add to soil compaction, but proper drainage water management would allow drainage for a sufficient amount of time before field operations so that soil wetness would be comparable to that in fields with conventional drainage.
