Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
Key
site specific
region wide
Irrigators change watering habits in Mallee
Irrigators in the Mallee are changing the habits of a lifetime in an effort to combat salinity by participating in water use efficiency projects.
There are two elements to these projects - training and financial incentives - that aim to reduce the amount of water draining through the soil to less than one megalitre per hectare per year.
"We'd like to see 90 percent of the water used well and not have irrigators over-watering and impacting on the environment," said Peter Middleton, Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Water Resources Coordinator.
Funding
With $360,000 from the Australian and State Governments, the Mallee CMA aims to increase irrigators' water use efficiency.
Activities
Irrigators are being encouraged to apply the right amount of water at the right time. This will reduce the amount of water draining from horticultural crops into the water table - a major cause of salinity.
The training focuses on developing irrigators' skills, with courses in irrigation management and water scheduling, the interaction of soil and water interaction, drip lines, and maintenance of sprinklers and pumps.
Once irrigators have completed the training they can access financial incentives for systems checks and upgrades, irrigation and drainage management plans and scheduling equipment.
While the training targets all irrigators, the incentives are targeting traditional irrigators using outdated and inefficient watering technology.
"The call for both training and incentives came from local communities," said Peter. "And these incentives only cover some of the costs; the irrigators still bear the major costs of upgrading their irrigation systems."
Achievements
With most irrigators now having completed the training, Peter has noticed a change in attitude among irrigators, with water efficiency a strong part of farming consciousness.
"Twenty years ago there was a considerable volume of water draining into our major drainage disposal basins," Peter said. "Today these basins are drying up - a good sign there is less wasted water adding to the salinity problem.
"From an environmental perspective that's a huge plus, and in agricultural terms it's cut costs for irrigators and increased productivity."
Further proof of the change in attitude is the scheme where irrigators donate water back to the environment for emergency watering of stressed and dying river redgums. Under this scheme the amount of water donated has risen from 1.3 gigalitres in 2005 to 5 gigalitres in 2006.
More information
- Peter Middleton, Mallee CMA Water Resources Coordinator: (03) 5051 4372 or Peter.Middleton@dpi.vic.gov.au
- Mallee Catchment Management Authority
See also
Key
Links to another web site
Opens a pop-up window