Water Control Valve For Drainage Tile

Water control valve for drainage tile MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 10-4-35 Sub-surface irrigation in drainage tiles is a lot easier with a new auto-control valve developed in Iowa. Bill Schafer, of Agri-Drain Corp., told FARM SHOW that the valve works well with either sub-surface irrigation or simply as a way to hold water in underground tile to keep it from draining away unused. The valve installs in the line, adapting to tile ranging in size from 6 to 15 in. in dia. One valve is installed in the main line for every 1¢ ft. of drop in grade through the field. That means that if the tile line drops 1 ft. for every 100 ft. of length, you'd install a valve every 150 ft., creating a kind of stair-step effect to hold water. Whenever desired, the flapper valve can be released, allowing water to flow out. "Some farmers let all the water drain out until about July to dry fields and promote good root growth and then close the flap valves to store moisture for use during critical growing periods after that," says Schafer. The 6 and 8-in. dia. versions of the new tile valve sell for $207.14 and $285.71, respectively. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Agri-Drain Corp., P.O. Box 458, Adair, Iowa 50002 (ph 515 742-3347).

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