Engineering Commons^™

Deep Drains To Manage Groundwater, Neil Cox, Sylvia Tetlow, Neil Coles

Bulletins 4000 -

A channel that is 1.0 m to 3.0 m in depth is considered to be a deep drain. The drain is excavated to a depth that is sufficient to intercept the watertable in order to capture and convey that groundwater from flat, poorly drained land.

The drain can either be ‘open’ to allow the inflow of surface water or ‘leeved’ to exclude surface water. An open deep drain has its spoil banks placed on one side or on alternate sides of the channel (Figure 1) while a leveed deep drain has continuous spoil banks placed on both sides of the …

An Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Deep Drains Constructed In The Wheatbelt Of Western Australia Part 1 A Discussion On Drainage Implmentation In The Wheatbelt : A Case Study Review, Summary, Conclusions And Recommendations, N A. Coles, Richard J. George Dr, A D. Bathgate

Bulletins 4000 -

Australia has undertaken a strategic review of current and historical deep drainage projects. A 'rapid appraisal' methodology was utilised, based principally on existing hydrological investigations and interpretation and anecdotal evidence provided by landholders to clarify the role of drainage in managing water in dry land rural landscapes.

The objectives of this discussion paper are to:

1. Review the current status of groundwater drainage practice

2. Provide an assessment of deep drains in the landscape and

3. Propose recommendations on the development of drainage policy to enable the application of best management practice in groundwater drainage.

Economics Of Interceptor Drains : A Case Study, Andrew Bathgate, Ian Evans

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This case study determines the most likely rate of return to capital invested in constructing seepage interceptor drains to reduce the effect of waterlogging on crop and pasture yields. The analysis of a farm in the Denbarker region, west of Albany, determined what increases were needed in pasture growth to justify the cost of constructing drains across four adjacent paddocks. The benefits of changing rotations to include lupins were also determined, as growing lupins was unprofitable before the construction of drains.

Soil Conservation Earthworks Design Manual, K J. Bligh

All other publications

In view of the great diversity of hydrological conditions encountered in the field, and the relative paucity of information with which to design soil conservation earthworks, it is frequently not possible to quantify all aspects of hydrologic design. It remains for the practising soil conservationist to search for a reasonable solution to a problem which is most appropriate to the situation, location, information and skills. The equations in this Manual provide the best available estimates of flow rates and volumes for carrying out design but it must be recognised that the information has come from a relatively limited data set, …

Seepage Interceptor Drains And Topsoil Salinity, T R. Negus

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Department of Agriculture established 121 trials in its Narrogin advisory district starting in 1972 to measure the effect of bulldozer and grader built seepage interceptor banks and drains on the topsoil salinity of the land downslope of them.

After 14 years of moniterin, there was no evidence that seepage interceptor drains and banks reduced the top soil salinity on 10 of the 11 sites in the Pingelly, Brookton and Wickepin Shires.

Mogumber Drainage Works Succeed, L K. Lenane

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The loss of arable farmland from soil erosion, waterlogging and salinity is a severe problem on some Western Australian farms.

When the arable land comprises only 40 per cent of the total area within the Mogumber Soil Conservation District, this loss is a real cause for concern. So too is the resulting damage to roads, siltation of railway culverts, and deaths of roadside trees from rising saline watertables.

However, drainage, contour and other works undertaken by the Mogumber Soil Conservation District have halted this degredation. Badly eroded areas that were fenced off now have a satisfactory ground cover. A wheat …

Deep Drainage As A Method Of Treating Saltland, Eric Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In some situations, deep drainage may be warranted to return salt-affected land to full production.

This method is being investigated at CSIRO's Yalanbee Experiment Station.

Flooding And Salt Problems In The Wheatbelt, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

VALUABLE land has become salty in parts of the West Australian agricultural areas because most of the surrounding land has been cleared and developed for agriculture.

This salting of a small proportion of the land is part of the price paid for the development of agriculture in this State.

Drainage is not the answer to the wheatbelt flooding and salt land problems.

A more practical approach is to limit runoff from sloping land, and to make good use of salt-affected land by growing salt tolerant perennial pastures on it, says the Soils Division of the Department of Agriculture.