Integrating subsurface drainage with improved irrigation scheduling is a coordinated approach to improving sodic soils and increasing water use efficiency. In sodic soils, the accumulation of sodium ions causes clay particles to disperse, reducing permeability and ultimately reducing plant growth. To correct this situation, both water infiltration into the soil and a pathway for salts to escape from the soil profile must be managed properly. Subsurface drainage, by lowering the water table and providing an outlet for water and salts, allows for the leaching of sodium and salts, improves soil aeration, and reduces the risk of salts returning to the root zone. On the other hand, careful irrigation scheduling—by determining the timing and amount of water based on the actual needs of the plant and soil conditions—ensures that enough water enters the soil to leach and replace sodium, without wasting or stagnating. The combination of these two actions has a synergistic effect: chemical amendments such as gypsum work more effectively in the presence of managed water and active drainage; sodium is removed from the soil; soil structure is restored and permeability is increased; and ultimately, each unit of water used is most efficient. Simply put, proper irrigation gets water into the soil, and subsurface drainage pulls out salt and sodium. This coordination not only removes the soil from a sodic state, but also sustainably increases the water use efficiency of the agricultural system.