Drainage, Lateral Effects, and Drainage Water Management
Drainage is the practice of removing surface and sub-surface water from an area. Often drainage is used to improve crop production. Lateral effect refers to the extent at which the drainage influences the hydrology.
Common drainage policies and laws in North Dakota as well as information regarding lateral effects are found below.
The following document(s) may require Adobe Reader.
State of ND Drainage Rules
NRCS Drainage Information
EFH Chapter 19 - Hydrology Tools for Wetland Identification and Analysis
ND Minimal Effect Evaluation Procedure Worksheet (DOC; 55 KB)
Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Assessments Applicable in ND
Lateral Effects Calculator
The documents below may require Excel Viewer
For more information contact:
WETS Tables
The documents below require Adobe Reader
All PDF’s are 11 KB unless noted.
(PDF: 666 KB)
Adams
|
Adams
|
Barnes
|
Barnes
|
Barnes
|
Billings
|
Billings
|
Bottineau
|
Bottineau
|
Bottineau
|
Bottineau
|
Bowman
|
Burleigh
|
Burleigh
|
Burleigh
|
Burleigh
|
Burke
|
Burke
|
Cass
|
Cass
|
Cavalier
|
Dickey
|
Dickey
|
Dickey
|
Dickey
|
Divide
|
Divide
|
Divide
|
Divide
|
Dunn
|
Dunn
|
Emmons
|
Emmons
|
Foster
|
Foster
|
Foster
|
Golden Valley
|
Golden Valley
|
Grant
|
Grant
|
Grand Forks
|
Grand Forks
|
Grand Forks
|
Griggs
|
Hettinger
|
Hettinger
|
Kidder
|
LaMoure
|
LaMoure
|
Logan
|
McHenry
|
McHenry
|
McHenry
|
McHenry
|
McHenry
|
McIntosh
|
McIntosh
|
McKenzie
|
McKenzie
|
McKenzie
|
McLean
|
McLean
|
McLean
|
McLean
|
McLean
|
McLean
|
Mercer
|
Mercer
|
Morton
|
Morton
|
Morton
|
Morton
|
Mountrail
|
Mountrail
|
Nelson
|
Oliver
|
Pembina
|
Pembina
|
Pierce
|
Ramsey
|
Ramsey
|
Ransom
|
Ransom
|
Renville
|
Renville
|
Richland
|
Richland
|
Richland
|
Rolette
|
Rolette
|
Sargent
|
Sheridan
|
Sioux
|
Sioux
|
Slope
|
Slope
|
Slope
|
Stark
|
Stark
|
Stark
|
Steele
|
Steele
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Stutsman
|
Towner
|
Traill
|
Walsh
|
Walsh
|
Ward
|
Ward
|
Ward
|
Ward
|
Ward
|
Wells
|
Wells
|
Wells
|
Williams
|
Williams
|
Williams
|
|
|
|
Drainage Water Management
Water management is the control and movement of water resources to minimize damage to life and property and to maximize efficient beneficial use. Good water management of dams and levees reduces the risk of harm due to flooding. Irrigation water management systems make the most efficient use of limited water supplies for agriculture. Drainage management involves water budgeting and analysis of surface and sub-surface drainage systems. Sometimes water management involves changing practices, such as groundwater withdrawal rates, or allocation of water to different purposes.
Drainage water management can help increase production, keep nutrients on the field and send clean, filtered water downstream. The video below shows how landowners benefit from drainage water management.
