Weather can be a make-or-break factor when it comes to farming, and in 2019 there has been no shortage of precipitation. Levi Otis of Ellingson Companies works with farmers on water management not only during the wet years, but during the dry ones as well. “Farmers are calling me, wishing they would’ve been tiling through the dry years too,” says Otis. “Where we’re suffering is a lot of our projects still have crop on them right now. The interest is there and we still have a good amount of capacity left depending on weather conditions.” Implementing a drainage system is a major, upfront capital investment for the farmer or landowner. In a year like this, especially with two rounds of flooding, an effective water management system can be worth its weight in gold. Otis says a couple benefits of drain tile include decreasing crop damage and increasing productivity. “In a year this this, it may pay for itself within a year.”