Purdue University Mimeo AE 46
Agricultural Extension Service July 1958
TILE DRAINAGE IN INDIANA FOR 1957
By Donald R. Sisson, Extension Agricultural Engineer
Tile drainage is a multi-million dollar business in Indiana. It is estimated that
landowners spent about $7.5 million for tile drainage in 1957. Of this, $4 million was
for drain tile and the remainder for installation,,
The amount spent for tile drainage in 1957 was greater than one percent of the average annual cash income of Indiana farmers. The amount spent for tiling was greater
than farmers' average annual income from all fruits or from the oats crop and was equal
|bo nearly 15 percent of the average annual income from corn*
The table below shows the 1957 drain tile sales as provided by 10 clay and 18 concrete drain tile manufacturers. In addition, three other clay plants might have been in
production, and eight other concrete manufacturers were known to have been in production
in 1957. Most of these were small producers, but their combined operations would bring
the total to more than 32 million feet. This estimate does not include tile shipped into Indiana from out of state. However, some of the tile listed by Indiana manufacturers
was undoubtedly sold out of state, also.
Drain Tile Sales bv Clay and Concrete Manufacturers in 1957
Diameter 10 Clay Mfrs*        18 Concrete Mfrs.    Total 28 Mfrs.
Inches  Lineal Feet Lineal Feet Lineal Feet
four 13,701,006 705,682 14,406,668
live 6,950,602 1,492,781 8,443,383
Six 4,103,776 2,040,647 6,144,423
Eight 981,942 434,105 1,416,047
Ten 371,990 124,913 496,903
Twelve and up 380f236 140.370 520.606
Total All Sizes 26,489,552 4,938,498 31,428,050
Amount Used for Farm Drainage
No accurate figures are available showing what proportion of the drain tile sold were
used for farm drainage. However, based on estimates of some tile manufacturers, about
one-half of the four-inch tile and about 90 percent of all other sizes were used for farm
drainage. This indicates that about 23 million feet of drain tile were used for farm
'drainage.
Federal Government Assistance
According to records of the Soil Conservation Service (S.CS.), technical assistance
as given to farmers in installing almost 12 million feet of drain tile, or on slightly
over half of the tile drainage installed.
Records of the S.C.S. show 71,946 acres drained in 1957 by all drainage methods. Tiling is the most important; including drainage without federal assistance, at least 100,000
acres were tiled in 1957. Significantly, most of the drainage is being installed on land
Previously drained to some extent—to improve crop production efficiency.
Drainage of farm land is proceeding at a satisfactory rate. However, the S.C.S. estimates that more than three million acres in Indiana need improved drainage; this will
 25 to 30 years at the present rate. The map on the reverse side shows the county
tile drainage installed through the soil conservation program in 1957*