The performance of two methods of subsurface drain installation (corrugated plastic drain pipes installed with a trencher, and a trenchless drain plow) was evaluated using five years of field data on water table heights and crop yields. Two subsurface drains, each installed with a different method, were monitored from 1980 to 1984 to compare the effect of methods of drain installation on water table heights. Subsurface drains installed with a chain trencher had lower water table heights throughout the crop growing season in comparison to the water table heights in areas drained by the plow method. Based on these water table measurements, subsurface drains installed with a chain trencher appeared to remove more drainage water from the soil than did subsurface drains installed with a plow. Data collected on corn and soybean yields from the various tillage experiments, drained by two methods of drain installation were compared. Plots drained by trenched drains yielded more than plots drained by plowed drains but differences were not statistically significant at 95% level.