There are several concerns about the sustainability of irrigation and drainage projects, many of which are related to the quality and disposal of drainage water. Inadequate drainage and improper drainage water disposal have led to land degradation due to water logging and salinity. There have been instances where saline or high nutrient drainage water has damaged aquatic ecosystems. Drainage continues to be a vital and necessary component of agricultural production systems. In order to enhance the net benefits of drainage systems, more attention will need to be given to the water quality impacts of drainage water disposal. This document identifies potential problems and management options in the development, production, treatment and disposal of agricultural drainage water. Contents Chapter 1: Introduction by Chandra A Madramootoo; Need for artificial drainage, Agricultural, environmental and socio-economic benefits of drainage, Types of drainage systems, Surface drainage, Subsurface drainage, Secondary drainage treatments, Environmental impact assessment, Water quality issues, Drainage water management and disposal options, On-farm source control, Re-use of drainage water, Disposal and management of drainage water in closed basins, Water table management, Planning and designing drainage systems to protect and enhance water quality; Chapter 2: Drainage Water Quality by Dennis Westcot; Water quality charactersitics, Pesticides, Toxic trace elements, Nutrients, Sediment, Bacteria, Temperature, Salinity and major ions, Sulphurous compounds, Protection of beneficial uses, Domestic and drinking water, Industrial supply, Agricultural supply, Aquatic life, Recreation; Chapter 3: Water Table Management by Daniel Zimmer and Chandra A Madramootoo; General features, Water table control structures, Water quality benefits, Drainage hydrology and water quality, Nutrients, Pesticides, Operational aspects, Farm or catchment scale, Topography and soils, Monitoring requirements; Chapter 4: Drainage Water Re-Use; Re-use for crop irrigation by Michael C Shannon; Effects of salinity on crop growth and yield, Agricultural management practices, Managing cycling and blending strategies, Re-use for saline agriculture and forestry by Vashek Cervinka, Concept of agriculture-forestry systems and solar evaporators, System design and planning, Re-use in a natural wetland by Dick A Daniel, Re-use of surface drainage water, Re-use of subsurface drainage water; Chapter 5: Drainage Water Treatment by Lawrence Owns; Physical, chemical and biological treatment processes, Selection of treatment process, Methods of treatment, Physical/chemical treatment, Biological treatment, A treatment example, Treatment in constructed wetlands by Walter J Ochs, Flow-through wetland functions, Planning and design of flow through wetlands, Hydraulic and geohydraulic characteristics, Soils and geologic characteristics, Vegetative characteristics, Implementation, monitoring and management; Chapter 6: Drainage Water Disposal; Disposal to natural hydrological systems by William R Johnston, Land application and retirement by William R Johnston, Evaporation ponds by Kenneth K Tanji, Constructed evaporation ponds, Pond hydrology, Pond water chemistry and mineralogy, Pond biology and toxicity, Biological, chemical and physical treatment options, Deep will injection by Robert T Burns, Concept and technology, Environmental considerations, Geological considerations, Case study; Chapter 7: Health Issues Related to Drainage Water Management by Martin S Fritsch; The interactions between drainage, water management and health, Water related diseases and their vectors, Incidence of diseases - cases and mortality, Vector-borne diseases: transmission by insects, Water-based diseases: transmission by aquatic and semi-aquatic snails, Water-borne excreta related infections, Health risks and chemical pollution, Integrated control of transmission of vector-borne diseases, Components of integrated control approaches, Environmental management for vector control, Environmental management measures in drainage water management, Drainage water treatment, re-use and disposal, Environmental management measures applied to drainage structures, Development of control strategies; Chapter 8: Institutional Arrangements by Ashok Subramanian; Issues and problems, Objectives and interest groups, Need for regulation, conservation and communication, Role of public and private agencies and water users, Institutional mechanisms, Laws and regulations, Corporate organizations, Participatory planning, Incentives for water quality enhancement, Monitoring, Institutional capacity.