How much could you save if every drop of water stayed where you needed it most?
We reached out to contractors in Spain and the Netherlands to find out. Previous to utilizing water management, uneven terrain, poor drainage and moisture retention were common problems experienced by farmers in both of these regions, costing them valuable resources in soil quality and unfarmable land. By leveling out a field’s high and low spots using advanced land forming technology, water can be better controlled to drain or store where you need it to.
Land Forming
Uneven fields can cause a range of costly issues—poor drainage, erosion and inconsistent crop growth—all of which eat away at your profitability.
Whether you’ve got too much water or not enough, both can cost you thousands in yield loss.
Taking control of field contours not only increases yields but also protects long-term investments in both land and equipment.
For these contracting companies and their customers, it’s made all the difference:
Reviving Agricultural Land in the Netherlands
Meet Loonbedrijf Joldersma, a contracting company based in Smilde, Netherlands. When a tract of land close to the company came available for purchase, all the neighbors turned it down because the property was deemed wasteland. Despite doubts, a local farmer invested in the property and tasked Joldersma with improving it. Joldersma, knowing the power of land forming technology, went straight to work.
The team used WM-Survey II to map the thickness of the cultivation layer at different points in the field, finding insufficient topsoil. Using a 3D plan, they deep-ploughed high spots to bring fertile soil to the surface and transported it to low areas using a Field Level-II-controlled scraper to achieve a smooth, even terrain.
As a result, the redistributed soil improved water retention, reduced erosion and promoted crop growth. Today, the formerly barren field is the most productive in the area, thanks to precision land forming technology.
Improving Water Distribution in Spain
In Sevilla, Spain, contractor Vicente Llano has been transforming farmers’ fields with PTx Trimble’s land forming solutions for over two decades. He started with laser based equipment and has continued to see improved results and increased efficiency for his more than 20 tractors with the transition to GNSS-based implement control. His work helps farmers improve yields by creating reservoirs to store water used for irrigation throughout the season.
Llano uses 3D field models created for Field Level-II and WM-FieldForm to build terraces and reservoirs to optimize water flow and store it for future use. These models also generate guidance lines that sync with Autopilot-equipped tractors, making the land forming work even more efficient.
In just the past six years, Llano has improved more than 23,000 acres for farmers thanks to PTx Trimble’s land forming solutions. In 2024, he enhanced his business by transitioning from Field Level-II to WM-FieldForm; a next-generation land forming system that improves visualization and workflows through PTx Trimble’s Precision-IQ interface. The new UI design has made it less challenging to train new operators while continuing to help farmers reduce water loss, lower irrigation costs, and increase their yields.
Control Water, Achieve Better Yields
The use case for water management isn’t cut and dry, and can be customized from field to field. Whether waterlogged fields or water retention are the problem, precision land forming technologies can provide new yield in old fields. Whether you own land leveling equipment or rely on a contractor, water management is the first step toward improving your operation’s efficiency and profitability.
To learn more about WM-Field Form, contact your local PTx Trimble dealer. You can also explore more about how to manage your water resources effectively with our water management resources and tools.
