Look at the agricultural fields around you. Especially paying attention to the management of the water.
Did you manage to find out how the field is drained? If you were lucky, you may have spotted some drainage tubes responsible for this. Buried under the field lay tubes that have small perforations in them to let water in. The depth of the tubing determines the maximum height of the groundwater table. As the water enters the tube, it is drained towards the drainage canal you are standing next to now.
At this location, the importance of maintenance is once again seen. Maybe on the day you are doing the excursion, it is less evident, but take a look at the picture below:
