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Shepparton farmers a step ahead with automatic irrigation technology
More than 100 landowners from the Shepparton region in northern Victoria have signed up to an automatic irrigation incentive scheme. This has led to significant water savings, dramatically reduced workloads and less runoff into waterways.
Irrigation provides a number of important benefits to farmers, including the ability to grow more pastures and crops and lengthen the growing season.
But applying the right amount of water at the right time can be a highly complex and labour-intensive task. Farmers can often be up in the middle of the night to change the flow of water from one irrigation bay to the next.
The consequences of over or under-watering can be severe. Under-watering reduces crop yields, while over-watering wastes water and often leads to waterlogging of soils and excessive amounts of polluted run-off flowing into local streams and creeks.
Automatic irrigation improves the efficiency of water use by using a device to automatically open and shut irrigation structures that control water flow.
Funding
The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority has received funding over the past three years for the automatic irrigation scheme from the Australian and State Governments. The Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is a key project partner.
Activities
Executive Officer for the Shepparton Irrigation Region Implementation Committee Ken Sampson said the scheme allowed farmers to claim a rebate of up to $6,000 per property for the cost of buying and installing automation equipment.
"There are a range of temporary and permanent systems available," Ken said. "Some farmers like to try out automatic irrigation with simple timer systems that are cheaper the larger the area they cover and can be moved around the property.
"Others have installed permanent systems that involve personal computer-based software for scheduling and controlling irrigation. This type of option is more expensive, but farmers can literally irrigate with the click of a mouse."
As part of the scheme, officers from DPI provide technical advice to interested irrigators on the range and merits of the various options available.
Achievements
Ken said the scheme was saving farmers' time and had important benefits for river health.
"Irrigators in this region are getting smarter and more innovative, which is especially important in the drought," he said. "By saving water they're also reducing the level of nutrients and salt flowing into our waterways."
More information
- Ken Sampson, Executive Officer, Shepparton Irrigation Region Implementation Committee: (03) 5833 5360 or ken.sampson@dpi.vic.gov.au
- Goulburn Broken CMA
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