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Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Water Irrigation Area

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Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Water Irrigation Area FINAL REPORT PROJECT DAW45: CHANGING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND MANAGEMENT IN THE HARVEY WATER IRRIGATION AREA AUTHORS Ken Moore, Principal Investigator David Chester Robin Kuzich Dario Nandapi Mark Rivers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors of the report wish to acknowledge the assistance of the following individuals whose knowledge and inputs contributed to the report. Project Steering Committee members: Andrew McCrea (Western Australian Department of Environment) Murray Chapman (Rural Plan, NPSI Coordinator) Danny Norton (Chairman, Harvey Water) Geoff Calder (General Manager, Harvey Water) Wayne Bell (Bell Dairy) Joe Foley (Research Fellow, CRC for Irrigation Futures) Matthew Bethune (Institute for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture, DPI, Victoria) Arthur Mostead of Queanbeyan, New South Wales, provided many of the photographs shown in the report and these capture the images of the Project. Horizon Farming Pty Ltd provided the methodology used for pasture sampling and measurement. Finally, the Project team would like to thank the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation and Land & Water Australia for having the vision to fund this Project and to make a substantial contribution to the future of irrigation in the Harvey Water Irrigation Area. PROJECT TEAM Ken Moore, Principal Investigator, Boorara Management Dale Hanks, Taylynn Farms Robin Kuzich, Rob Kuzich & Co. Dario Nandapi, Smart Cow Consulting (and also representing Horizon Farming) Mark Rivers, Department of Agriculture David Chester, Harvey Water Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is intended for general use, to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the sustainable management of land, water and vegetation. It includes general statements based on scientific research. Readers are advised and need to be aware that this information may be incomplete or unsuitable for use in specific situations. Before taking any action or decision based on the information in this publication, readers should seek expert professional, scientific and technical advice. Project DAW45 – Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Water 1 Irrigation Area FINAL REPORT To the extent permitted by law, the Commonwealth of Australia, Land & Water Australia (including its employees and consultants), the authors and the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation and its partners do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person's use or reliance upon the content of this publication. The National Program for Sustainable Irrigation focuses research on the development and adoption of sustainable irrigation practices in Australian agriculture. The aim is to address critical emerging environmental management issues, while generating long-term economic and social benefits that ensure irrigation has a viable future. The Program has fourteen funding partners who are: Land & Water Australia (Managing Partner); Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland; Department of Primary Industries & Resources, South Australia; Department of Environment Water & Catchment, Western Australia; Department of Agriculture, Western Australia; Cotton Research & Development Corporation; Horticulture Australia; Goulburn-Murray Water, Victoria; Harvey Water, Western Australia; Lower Murray Water Authority, Victoria; Sunwater, Queensland; Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water, Victoria and the Ord Irrigation Cooperative, Western Australia. Project DAW45 – Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Water 2 Irrigation Area FINAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................5 1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH ............................................12 1.1 Project objectives ..........................................................................................12 1.2 Project activities.............................................................................................12 1.3 Project outputs ...............................................................................................13 1.4 Project approach............................................................................................13 2. BACKGROUND ON THE IRRIGATION AREA .........................................16 2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................16 2.2 The landscape, water and soil resources..................................................17 2.3 Irrigation history .............................................................................................18 2.4 Changing institutional arrangements..........................................................18 2.5 A new era of change .....................................................................................19 2.6 Stakeholders initiating R&D .........................................................................20 3. WATER USE, PASTURE AND MILK PRODUCTION...............................21 3.1 Water use efficiency......................................................................................21 3.2 Pasture production ........................................................................................22 3.3 Milk production...............................................................................................26 3.4 Conclusion......................................................................................................27 4. MANAGEMENT OF CENTRE PIVOT IRRIGATION .................................28 4.1 The centre pivot set-up.................................................................................28 4.2 Centre pivot scheduling................................................................................29 4.3 Centre pivot size............................................................................................31 4.4 Impact of irrigation on the soil......................................................................32 4.5 Conclusion......................................................................................................32 5. MANAGEMENT OF SURFACE IRRIGATION...........................................34 5.1 Surface irrigation bay....................................................................................34 5.2 Surface irrigation practice ............................................................................34 5.3 Monitoring water movement ........................................................................35 5.4 Impact of irrigation on the soil......................................................................35 5.5 Conclusion......................................................................................................36 6. WHOLE FARM PLANNING.......................................................................37 6.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................37 6.2 Goals ...............................................................................................................38 6.3 Assessment of local conditions ...................................................................38 6.4 System design, economics and feasibility..................................................39 6.5 Making the investment decision.................................................................40 7. MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.....................................42 7.1 Deep drainage................................................................................................42 7.2 Groundwater quality......................................................................................42 7.3 Water losses to runoff...................................................................................43 7.4 Nutrient concentrations in runoff water ......................................................44 7.5 Nutrient loads in runoff water.......................................................................45 7.6 Conclusion..................................................................................................46 8. IRRIGATION AREA SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT.......................................49 8.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................49 8.2 Background on improving distribution efficiency ......................................49 8.3 Development of the Harvey Water system................................................50 8.4 Issues being addressed and project benefits ...........................................52 Project DAW45 – Changing Irrigation Systems and Management in the Harvey Water 3 Irrigation Area FINAL REPORT 8.5 Meeting system requirements .....................................................................54 8.5 Conclusion......................................................................................................56 9. R&D PARTNERSHIPS IN IRRIGATION ...................................................58 9.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................58 9.2 Project partners..............................................................................................58 9.3 Outcomes of the partnership approach .....................................................59 9.4 Role of the Steering Committee..................................................................59 10. LEARNING AND ADOPTION..................................................................61
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