Historic Indiana Farm Sale Highlights Innovative Underground Irrigation System
- Brooke Bouma Kohlsdorf
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
When a 150-year-old farm in west-central Indiana went up for auction this September, there were a couple of things that made it stand out from the typical properties in the Midwest.
First, the land had been in the same family since just after the Civil War — a rare legacy in the farming community. But it was the second detail that surprised the realtor handling the sale.
“They had created a reverse irrigation or subsurface irrigation system. I’ve never sold a farm with that before — it was a first,” said Gene Klingaman of Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company.
The 1,420-acre property sold for $20.82 million. According to Klingaman, it attracted strong interest not only because of the quality of the land but also due to the extensive improvements made over the years.
One of the family members, Ed Britton, said the unique system — installed alongside traditional drainage and irrigation methods — was part of a long-standing commitment to preserving the land.
“Taking care of the land and being a good steward of it is fundamental to who we are as Christians,” Britton said.
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What Is Controlled Drainage or Subsurface Irrigation?
The system used on the Indiana farm is known as controlled drainage, or when water is actively added, subsurface irrigation. It’s a method being studied and promoted by universities like Ohio State and North Carolina State for its ability to conserve water and reduce nutrient runoff.
Ohio State Extension describes it like this:
“Controlled drainage is the process of adjusting the elevation of a drainage system outlet to manage the volume of water leaving the field and reduce nutrient loss. When water is held back without being pumped in, it helps conserve soil moisture. During dry periods, water can be pumped into the drainage system and distributed back into the field.”
Put simply: the system collects rainwater from the soil, stores it, and then sends it back underground during dry spells. It is like giving your crops a drink from below the surface.
RELATED: American Farmland Owner story documents how lack of moisture in one Midwest state is impacting harvest.
Ground Irrigation vs. Controlled Drainage
Compared to traditional above-ground irrigation, controlled drainage has two major benefits:
It reduces water runoff, keeping valuable nutrients like nitrogen in the soil instead of washing them away.
It waters crops underground, minimizing evaporation and improving water efficiency especially important during dry seasons.
According to North Carolina State Extension, this method has shown real results:
“Controlled drainage has increased corn and soybean yields by an average of 10% over the last 20 years in North Carolina. In dry years, that increase can reach up to 20%.
Ohio State also notes that installation costs can vary, typically ranging from $600 to $3,000 per field or about $30 to $100 per acre, depending on the setup.
