Kansas soil and drainage is a challenge of its own. Consider the Japanese don’t get rid of the water. They farm a mountain by building ponds and terraces down the side of the mountain.
They pour the water from one pond to the next down the entire mountain. Water is very valuable i would rather it did not drain off my property. In my case i want to hold it as long as i can and let it soak in. At times there will be big rains and i have drainage in place when it happens. These type of years the water is mostly staying right here.
Berms and swales - terracing - creating water ways
This photo speaks volumes. The trees are big and the land is being drained into a water way. Those trees are standing on a mound. At first i planted some sweet cherries around 30 years ago but they died after the first rain. The next sweet cherry i grew on top of a terrace. It was a very expensive lesson.
