Agriculture Drainage Support
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Drainage problems for rural landowners and farmers come in many forms. The information below provides background on common sources of drainage problems. There is also a great resource offered by Washington State University through their Rural Stormwater Solutions program.

You can also use our interactive Decision Support Tool to help identify possible drainage issues on your property and learn which agencies and organizations may be able to assist in resolving them. This Tool was developed in conjunction with farmers to provide guidance for rural landowners facing drainage problems.

Agricultural Drainage Resources

Dean McClary
[email protected]
(253) 798-6221


Common Causes of Drainage Issues
  1. Emergencies and Natural Disasters
  2. Environmental Factors (Beavers and Vegetation)
  3. Land Use & Management
  4. Ditch and Culvert Conditions
  5. Soil Conditions

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If your property experiences an emergency that threatens crops, livestock, or farm structures, there are emergency procedures you can follow. 

Pierce County Code allows Emergency Actions to be implemented if there is a threat to private property or potential for serious environmental degradation if:

  • -The threat is imminent (will occur before there is time to obtain necessary permits) and

-The landowner completes applicable County reviews after the fact (and may be forced to remove repair work and mitigate any impacts).

Landowners are encouraged to contact County staff prior to taking any action to evaluate the emergency and proposed actions (18E.20.035-F).

This work was initiated by the Drainage Task Force, per County Council Resolution R2019-59s.