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College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

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Overholt Drainage School Offers Soil and Water Conservation Education

March 8, 2012

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Farmers, land improvement contractors, soil and water conservation technicians and engineers can learn about the construction and management of soil and water conservation systems during the Overholt Drainage School led by Ohio State University and other industry experts.

The five-day program, held March 19-23 at the Baughman Tile Co. in Paulding County, Ohio, is open to anyone 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 emphasis on water management and water quality, said Larry Brown, an agricultural engineer with joint appointments with Ohio State University Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

"Our college has conducted drainage education and training for more than 50 years," he said. "Contractors and farmers from all across the Midwest come to the school. We try to provide knowledge that is applicable across the Corn Belt."

The conference includes:

* Session 1: Laser surveying, topographic mapping and GPS mapping.

* Session 2: Agricultural subsurface drainage design and installation.

* Session 3: Drainage water management: controlled drainage system design and installation.

Many of the sessions include fieldwork, classroom instruction and evening work sessions, Brown said.

The Overholt Drainage School is sponsored by OSU Extension; OARDC; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; Ohio State's Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service; USDA's Agricultural Research Service; the Ohio Department of Natural Resources;  Soil and Water Conservation Districts; Ohio Land Improvement Contractors and Associates, and Baughman Tile Co.

The full schedule and registration information can be found at http://agcrops.osu.edu/pdf-files-for-web/RegFrm_ODS2012.pdf. Participants may register online or by mail.  Registration for the full conference is $612 (or $355 for session 1; $555 for session 2 or $155 for session 3) if received by March 12.

More detailed information on the sessions can be found at http://agcrops.osu.edu/pdf-files-for-web/Anno_ODS2012.pdf

Author(s): 
Tracy Turner
Source(s): 
Larry C. Brown