Farmers in the upper mid west apply nitrogen in the fall when temperatures are cold enough to stop nitrate production from bacteria. The rows you see are where nitrogen was applied. When rain and unseasonable warm temperatures occur, nitrates are produced and move with water from drainage tiles to rivers and then to the Gulf of Mexico. This creates the Hypoxia problem that we are now facing.

This photo shows a typical example of nitrate loss. A good amount of rain has occurred in December and the temperature is above 50 degrees. The ground bacteria are at work producing nitrates that are then absorbed by the water. The stream then transports the nitrates to the aquifer system.

Nitrate loss also occurs in the spring and summer months during crop production in the upper and lower Midwest.

Typical Drainage System
Water Table is drained into aquifer system along with nitrates that create the Hypoxia Zone.

The AGREM SYSTEM

Step 1 Contract

Step 2 Surveying

Step 3 Design

Nature Conservancy Project Design
by
AGREM

Tile Profiles
The design of the Main Tile that will connect the Lateral Tiles is done with AGREM’s patented system.

Tile Lateral Profiles
The design of the Tile Lateral Tiles is then done with the placement of the control gates.

Reservoir System
Tile Mains
Lateral Tiles designed on contours
Control Gates Designed for use with farm machinery

Tile Mains, Laterals, and Control Gates
on other hill.

Closed Loop System
Multi Zones for Rolling Topography
Pump pumps Water from Reservoir to Control Gates.
Nitrogen may be applied by Irrigation Water.
Sub Irrigation Uses 1/3^rd of the Water Pivot Irrigation Uses.

Rain is captured in Reservoir and then is used for Sub Irrigation

Soil Types
These soil types are not high productive types. The AGREM System maximizes yields on even poor soil.

With AGREM’s new System tight soils that were not previously drainable are now easily Drained and Sub Irrigated.

Implementation
Reservoir System Construction

Clearing the topsoil for Reservoir System

Efficient use of Equipment means economical construction.

Top soil is being saved for other use.

Laser control for efficient and exact construction.

Use of Excavator for unique areas.

Utilizing clay for efficient water seal of reservoir.

Tiling
Installing Main Tile Line into Reservoir instead of river making a Closed Loop System that protects the environment.

Main Tile Line entering Reservoir system and Overflow Pipe into Denitrification holding area.

Tile Main being laid using old tiling technology for comparison of new tiling technology.
Soil profile is destroyed, clay mixed in soil will lower yields for many years.

Old style Wheel type Tiling Machine is Not Used when installing AGREM’S SYSTEMS

December 2^nd and it’s Cold,
with new technology Implementation is able to continue.

New Style Tile Plow is being used, Certified by Canada for grade accuracy. AGREM ONLY USES contractors with Canadian Certified Tiling Plows.

Tile Plow with Stringer
Ground is frozen to 3 inches
Tiling can continue until ground is frozen to 8 inches.

Lateral tile lines are laid 3 to 2 feet deep. Grade is at one tenth and follows the contours of the field. This is only possible with AGREM’s Design and Tile Plow Guidance System.

New Control Gates by AGREM offer an economical solution for controlling sub irrigation zones.

Control Gate installed, gate is made from common products. They are round for strength, and will not warp from soil pressure that current square gate technology products have problems with. They also are easily handled by one man.

Tile Plow in Operation
One to Three Miles per hour allows for efficient and economical installation.

Tile Plow has AGREM’s computer technology installed for guidance and control of Tile Plow. No time consuming flagging is necessary, Tile Plow is able to plow from and to Main Tile Line with extreme accuracy.

Almost Finished!!

Reservoir water level January 6^th, water is from Tile Mains Only.

Water Level January 20^th. Reservoir is filling up. Tile Mains are the only water source for the Reservoir. In old style drainage system this water is drained into rivers which carry the nitrates to the Gulf of Mexico creating The Hypoxia Zone. This Reservoir System will let nitrates dissipate into the atmosphere before the overflow will be discharged into the river.

Other view January 20^th.

Water Level February 1^st. Reservoir is still filling. The water is coming from the Tile Laterals in the background which are on rolling terrain. The Tile Laterals empty the water into the Tile Mains which empty into the Reservoir.

View of Control Gate
Water flowing over gate determines Reservoir System water level. The water is being discharged into a shallow second Reservoir which further purifies the water before being discharged into river.

Tile Laterals February 14^th. Rain, freezing, and thawing have mellowed ground.

Another view of the Tile Laterals February 14^th. Ground is mellowing for early spring tillage.

Planting

Rainfall & Sub Irrigation

Nitrogen Application

Begin Irrigation and 1^st Nitrogen application July 5.
Corn is under stress from drought.

After initial sub irrigation corn is coming out of stress.

Control Gates in field that control sub irrigation water level zones. AGREM’S SYSTEM locates the gates in the field for easy farm machinery use.

Corn is responding to sub irrigation and drought stress is subsiding. Adjacent fields are suffering drought stress.
AGREM’s Water Management System uses 1/3 of the water a pivot irrigation system uses, making for an economical system.

Second Irrigation and 2^nd Nitrogen application. Corn has recovered from stress of drought.

Corn is responding well to 2^nd sub irrigation and nitrogen fertilization.

Control Gate with irrigation pressure line valves that allow management of water and fertilization of Nitrogen.

The difference of the two different corn varieties is shown by the different height of the corn varieties as seen on horizon. The Dekalb 61-72 variety is taller.

Control Gate showing water level of two zones.

With sub irrigation corn is uniform on different elevations.

Third Irrigation
Corn is doing well in drought.

Third sub irrigation and nitrogen fertilization. Nitrogen can be applied easily and economically many times at different growth stages. This makes possible the most economical and highest yields.

Control gate showing irrigation water and the fertilization of Nitrogen in small amounts.

Reservoir System and sub irrigated corn on rolling ground by AGREM. Old style sub irrigation systems could only be implemented on very flat ground because of the difficulty of designing sub irrigation systems. This limited the use of sub irrigation.

Reservoir System and sub irrigated corn during drought on rolling terrain. Corn is uniform and healthy.

Sub irrigated corn during 3^rd sub irrigation and nitrogen fertilization. The Drought is still occurring.

Sub irrigated corn during 4^th irrigation. The Drought is getting worse, but the sub irrigated corn is doing great.

4^th sub irrigation. Notice the small size of the soybeans in adjacent field. Drought is affecting the soybeans growth.

Sub irrigated corn 4^th irrigation, 43,000 population 30” rows.

Difference of sub irrigated part of field versus non sub irrigated. Sub irrigated corn is tasseling and not under stress.

4^th Sub Irrigation
Three sub irrigations were used to apply 46 lb. of nitrogen each time. The 4^th sub irrigation was used for the last of the three nitrogen applications. Only with sub irrigation can nitrogen be applied so easily when corn is at this stage.

Harvest Begins
52 Samples taken
Over and between tile lines
Different soil types
Different elevations

Harvest
View of end rows looking toward Reservoir System.

View of rows of sub irrigated corn on rolling terrain. Height difference is from the characteristics of the two different variety types.

Sub irrigated corn on top of hill had high consistent yields.

Sub Irrigated corn from lower elevation to higher elevation had very little yield difference.

What a crop!!

Comparison of adjacent fields and sub irrigated field. Picture shows even crop health of sub irrigated field on first year crop after intensive tiling. Old style tiling technology usually disrupts yield production over tile lines for many years. The new Plow Technology does not do this over the tile lines.

Drought Effects
Adjoining fields showing uneven crop health
Draw of sub irrigation field where there was no sub irrigation.

Yields 2006

Yield Differences

Nitrogen Results

Yield Stress

Nature Conservancy Reservoir System is Full
January 16, 2007
Ready for 2007 crop

Other Sites

Chapin IL.
AGREM System
Tight Forrest Soils
Reservoir System
Beginning of Main Tile

Chapin IL
Tile Plow installing Main Tile Line. Soil has a low productivity level, but with the AGREM SYSTEM
High Yields are possible.

Evansville, Indiana
AGREM’s System
Tight soil previously considered not drainable by tile.
Flat and Hilly Topography.

Evansville, Indiana
Tile Laterals on Contours
Tight Forrest Soil

Evansville Indiana
Tile Laterals on Contours

Gibson City, Illinois
Reservoir System
22 Feet Deep
Rich Drummer Soil
Very flat
480 acres of sub irrigation

Gibson City, Illinois
Reservoir System
Water Table at 7 Feet
Tile Mains and High Water Table Feed Reservoir

Gibson City, Illinois
Finished Reservoir System
August 1^st, 2006
Clay lined
22 Feet Deep

Gibson City, Illinois
Sub Irrigation Pump Pipe
Clay lined Reservoir

Gibson City, Illinois
Reservoir is full from tile and ground water
January 16, 2007
Ready for Sub Irrigation

Gibson City, Illinois
AGREM’s System being Installed.
Site has flat rich Drummer type soil.

Gibson City, Illinois
Tile Plow installing Tile Laterals using AGREM’s Technology for an economical installation.

AGREM Water Management System