Over the past year, Ideal Drainage Mapping (IDM) has proven to be a game-changer for hundreds of users, helping them identify optimal drainage routes within their fields. We’ve heard from many that it’s been a transformative tool for improving water management.
IDM was initially rolled out via an online Portal, allowing Ditch Assist owners to locate their fields and download flow route map layers in KML format. These layers could then be imported into the Ditch Assist app to display as map overlays.
While this approach works well for most users, we realized we could make it even simpler, staying true to the original Ditch Assist vision of building tools that are as intuitive as possible. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new feature that streamlines the process of downloading and saving IDM maps to your tablet.
Starting with our latest beta release (4.27.2), available now on the official Ditch Assist website, IDM flow maps will automatically download when you connect your tablet to the internet and zoom in to your fields. Here’s how it works:
- Update to version 4.27.2 or later.
- With your tablet connected to the internet, pan and zoom the map to your fields.
- Zoom to various levels and pan around to load the IDM layers fully.
Once loaded, everything you see online will be saved to your tablet’s internal memory. Later, when you’re offline and working in the field, these layers will automatically reappear as you zoom in to the same fields.
We’ve also expanded IDM coverage! It now includes more areas in Manitoba and Saskatchewan with high-resolution, LiDAR-based flow mapping, as well as major agricultural regions in Minnesota and all of Iowa. Additional U.S. regions are already in progress, so stay tuned!