Not all ditches are created equal! Ditches with two tiers can help prevent erosion and flooding, which is awesome. Listen up:
Two-stage ditches are better for soil, farmers, nature, water quality…in short, for everybody! (via The Nature Conservancy)
Most farms need ditches to keep soil drained and crops thriving—but conventional tactics can lead to erosion, pollution, and flooding downstream.
Enter two-stage ditches. These ditches include a deep trench flanked by flat, vegetated areas one step down from the field. By slowing water flow, this design supports better drainage.
“It can also reduce nutrients and sediments, and improve water quality,” says the Nature Conservancy‘s Lauren Lindemann.
She explains that because these ditches are more stable, they require less maintenance down the line.
Two stage ditches aren’t practical on every farm—but in the right situations, farmers can ditch their old ways and avoid erosion and runoff.
Hear More:
Thinking a two-stage ditch might be good for your property or town? Lauren Lindemann talks about some important considerations to take into account before you start to dig.
Get Schooled:
- Get the back stage info on building the two-stage ditch via the Indiana Nature Conservancy
- Out with the old, in with the new: Read about how one farmer’s ditch switch made a world of difference for his farm, via Center for a Livable Future
- Check out this ditch presentation by Jon Witter of Ohio State University
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
