Metadata
The lower Fraser River delta of British Columbia is one of the most productive regions in the
province, yet farmers in this area are challenged with conditions of poor drainage and soil
salinization that adversely impact their operations. Climate change projections predict
increased intensity of rainfall and variability in weather patterns, making the need for
improved drainage conditions necessary to maintain and improve the production capability
of the area in the future. To better understand the state of existing knowledge and the
potential needs for further drainage and subirrigation work on farmland in Delta, a team of
researchers from the University of British Columbia were contracted by the Delta Farmers’
Institute to: 1) compile a comprehensive review of past drainage and sub-irrigation studies
in Delta; 2) review drainage and sub-irrigation research from other regions that could
provide insight for alternative management options in Delta; and 3) assess how farmers
across production and soil types in Delta are currently coping with drainage related
problems to gauge the need and interest for further research.
An extensive literature review was conducted to document the information that has already
been generated on these issues. Grey literature, including provincial and national reports,
and scientific literature, focused on, but not limited to Delta, was reviewed. All literature
(276 documents) was categorized in a centralized and open source portable document
format (PDF) organization system (www.mendeley.com) now publicly available.
The literature review revealed that substantial research has been conducted in the Delta
region since the 1980s; topics include water table management, sustainable soil
management through cover cropping, and soil reclamation. Challenges of drainage and
salinity in agriculture are also faced in other regions in Canada, the United States, and
Europe. Literature from these regions was reviewed to identify additional resources to assist
farmers in making informed on-farm management decisions.
In-person interviews were conducted with vegetable, berry, and forage farmers throughout
Delta, to evaluate management practices currently employed, and perceptions on their
effectiveness; areas within Delta continuing to have drainage and salinity problems; and
areas of research farmers felt were valuable for, moving forward to alleviate drainage and
salinity problems.
Interviews revealed that 76% of farmers currently experience drainage and/or soil salinity
problems. Less permanent measures that are used to drain fields include mole drains,
shallow surface drains, and subsoiling, while more permanent measures include drainage
tiles, laser levelling, and open ditches. It was evident from the interviews that the farming
community in Delta is very diverse, with different seasonal water management needs,
farming experience, and resources, illustrating the improbability of developing a “catch-all”
drainage solution for the region.
It is clear from the interviews that a knowledge gap exists between the research that has
already been conducted and farmers’ current understanding of solutions. Furthermore, our
results indicate that the body of research on drainage in Delta has been, and continues to
be, difficult to access and not well used.
Findings from this study suggest that farmers are using a number of drainage and soil
salinity management systems, but remain unclear about how best to address persisting
problems. The variability in landscape, land use, farmer experience, and farmer
management approaches throughout Delta suggest different solutions will be appropriate
for different farmers. Findings from the literature, while useful, may be outdated in terms of
costs and current landscape conditions, presenting a need to update this information to best
serve Delta farmers in the future. Finally, incentives would likely assist with adoption of
appropriate drainage and soil salinity management practices in the context of short-term
land tenure.
province, yet farmers in this area are challenged with conditions of poor drainage and soil
salinization that adversely impact their operations. Climate change projections predict
increased intensity of rainfall and variability in weather patterns, making the need for
improved drainage conditions necessary to maintain and improve the production capability
of the area in the future. To better understand the state of existing knowledge and the
potential needs for further drainage and subirrigation work on farmland in Delta, a team of
researchers from the University of British Columbia were contracted by the Delta Farmers’
Institute to: 1) compile a comprehensive review of past drainage and sub-irrigation studies
in Delta; 2) review drainage and sub-irrigation research from other regions that could
provide insight for alternative management options in Delta; and 3) assess how farmers
across production and soil types in Delta are currently coping with drainage related
problems to gauge the need and interest for further research.
An extensive literature review was conducted to document the information that has already
been generated on these issues. Grey literature, including provincial and national reports,
and scientific literature, focused on, but not limited to Delta, was reviewed. All literature
(276 documents) was categorized in a centralized and open source portable document
format (PDF) organization system (www.mendeley.com) now publicly available.
The literature review revealed that substantial research has been conducted in the Delta
region since the 1980s; topics include water table management, sustainable soil
management through cover cropping, and soil reclamation. Challenges of drainage and
salinity in agriculture are also faced in other regions in Canada, the United States, and
Europe. Literature from these regions was reviewed to identify additional resources to assist
farmers in making informed on-farm management decisions.
In-person interviews were conducted with vegetable, berry, and forage farmers throughout
Delta, to evaluate management practices currently employed, and perceptions on their
effectiveness; areas within Delta continuing to have drainage and salinity problems; and
areas of research farmers felt were valuable for, moving forward to alleviate drainage and
salinity problems.
Interviews revealed that 76% of farmers currently experience drainage and/or soil salinity
problems. Less permanent measures that are used to drain fields include mole drains,
shallow surface drains, and subsoiling, while more permanent measures include drainage
tiles, laser levelling, and open ditches. It was evident from the interviews that the farming
community in Delta is very diverse, with different seasonal water management needs,
farming experience, and resources, illustrating the improbability of developing a “catch-all”
drainage solution for the region.
It is clear from the interviews that a knowledge gap exists between the research that has
already been conducted and farmers’ current understanding of solutions. Furthermore, our
results indicate that the body of research on drainage in Delta has been, and continues to
be, difficult to access and not well used.
Findings from this study suggest that farmers are using a number of drainage and soil
salinity management systems, but remain unclear about how best to address persisting
problems. The variability in landscape, land use, farmer experience, and farmer
management approaches throughout Delta suggest different solutions will be appropriate
for different farmers. Findings from the literature, while useful, may be outdated in terms of
costs and current landscape conditions, presenting a need to update this information to best
serve Delta farmers in the future. Finally, incentives would likely assist with adoption of
appropriate drainage and soil salinity management practices in the context of short-term
land tenure.
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