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2020 Overholt Drainage School coming to Ohio in March

The 2020 Overholt Drainage School will be held in Lancaster, OH at the Fairfield Agricultural Center from March 9 to 12.

The four-day program will provide continuing education for land improvement contractors, soil and water conservation technicians, farmers, engineers, consultants, sanitarians, and others.

The program helps those interested in advancing their knowledge of basic concepts, principles, and skills related to the purpose, design, layout, construction, and management of soil and water conservation systems with an emphasis on water management and water quality.

Instructors include land grant university faculty/staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Soil and Water Conservation District engineers and technicians, Agricultural Research Service engineers and scientists, and experienced Ohio Land Improvement Contractors and Association contractors and associates.

Topics will include:

• Agricultural subsurface drainage: System design, layout and installation
• Drainage water management: Controlled drainage system design, layout and installation
• Applications for water management, drainage water harvesting
• Water quality improvement practices for Midwest agricultural drainage
• Issues with nitrogen and phosphorus
• Benefits for water quality and crop yields
• Water management zones, mains, lateral spacing
• Layout examples and exercises
• WTC structure installation
• Wood-chip bioreactors, phosphate filters
• Blind surface inlets and
• Buffers with controlled drainage.

Pre-registration is required. Submit registration form with payment before the deadline of March 6. Registration includes: tuition, lunches, refreshments, materials, supplies, manuals, engineer’s scale, and certificate of completion as appropriate for each day.

Bring calculator and pencils. If possible bring draft designs, as-built drawings to share with instructors and participants.

Confirmations, directions, and hotel list will be emailed upon receipt of registration and payment. There is a partial refund if cancellation is made by March 5.

The program is sponsored by the Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, OSU Extension, OARDC, The Ohio State University, in cooperation with, USDA-NRCS, USDA-ARS, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Fairfield SWCD; OSU Extension Fairfield County, and Ohio Land Improvement Contractors and Association.

Contact Dr. Larry Brown at brown.59@osu.edu, or call 614-292-3826 (office) or 614-264-7916 (cell, leave message) with any questions. Access the Overholt Drainage School 2020 registration form online.