StateoftheartEdition2
-onirrigationfarmsInside this issue
• AutomatedIrrigation 1
• WaterDeliveryEfficiency 4
• AdaptingtoChange 7
• CentrePivotIrrigation 10
• AGradualTransitiontoDryland 13
What change have you implemented?
RobandLynneMcCartneyinstalledanAWMAautomatedirrigationsystemwithtelemetryon13fastflowoutlets.ThesystemwasinstalledontheirTaturapropertyabouttwoyearsagoandservices20hectaresofirrigatedperennialpasturebays.Additionalstopsandchannelmodificationswerealsoinstalledtocomplimentthetechnologyupgrade.
Theautomationsystemoneachoutlethassolarpoweredbatteriesthatoperatethegateandislinkedbyradiotoapersonalcomputerinthefarmofficeviaanaerialinstalledonthehome’sroof.Irrigationtiminganddurationcanbeprogrammedintothesystemtomakethetaskofirrigatingthebaysfullyautomatic.
Why did you implement this change?
ToRobandLynne,automationseemedtobethenextstepindevelopingtheirfarm,oncelasergradinganddrainageimprovementswerecompleted.Themainbenefitsdrivingtheinstallationincludedtimesavingandreductionsinlabourcosts.Theyoptedfortelemetryoverotherformsofautomation,suchasbasicclocktimers,becausetelemetryofferedahigherlevelofconvenience.Clocktimersorsimilarbasicunitswouldhavemeanttherewasstillaneedtowalkaroundandset,orrelocate,theautomationunitsregularly.
Where did you find information to help guide you?
RobandLynnegainedinformationonthetechnologythroughspeakingtootherfarmers,professionalsinthefieldandattendingfielddays.
Who:RobandLynneMcCartney
Where: Tatura
Enterprise:Dairy
What:Fullyautomatedbayoutletswithtelemetrycontrol
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Were you able to gain any assistance for the change?
Priortotheinstallation,RobandLynneweresuccessfulingaininga$20,000grantthroughtheAustralianGovernmentdroughtassistanceprogramforirrigationsystemimprovements,andobtainedafurther$6,600grantthroughtheGoulburnBrokenCMAfarmwatersavingsprogram.Bothgrantscontributedtothecostofpurchasingandinstallingtheautomationsystem.
(SeeResearchsectionbelowfortypicalsystemcosts.)
What was the result of the change and was the investment worthwhile?
Asidefromsomeminorinitialproblems,RobandLynnebelievethebenefitsofimplementingthetechnologyhaveoutweighedthecost,particularlyinreducingtimeandlabourinputs.Quantifyingthesebenefitsisdifficulthowever,becauseinlargeparttheyinvolveaspectsdifficulttomeasure,suchasimprovementsintheirlifestyleandcreatinggreateropportunitytoworkonotheraspectsoftheirfarmbusiness.
Were there any set-backs when implementing the automation?
Althoughtherewasnoexactblue-printtofollow,RobandLynnewereabletogainenoughinformationtomakethetechnologyworkfortheirspecificfarmingsituation.Thereisnosingleautomationsystemthatfitsallcircumstances–sodespitefeelingwellinformed,therewasaslightlevelofriskingettingthesystemcustomisedtotheirfarm.Therewasaninitialperiodwherethecouplefoundithardtoputtheirentiretrustinthesystem,untilithadproveditself.Theystillfindirrigationdurationsometimesrequiresadjustmenttoavoidunderoroverirrigation,dependinguponthestageofpasturegrowth,grazingpressureandchannelsupplylevelvariations.
Alackoftraininginutilisingthecomputersoftwarewasidentifiedasaminorissue.Theyfoundthesoftwarewasnotoverlycomplicatedandcouldbeinstalledontheirexistingcomputer.Why do you think the change has worked?
AutomationwithtelemetryhasworkedwellonthispartoftheMcCartney’sfarm,whichisbasedonperennialpastureirrigatedintensivelythroughouttheirrigationseason.Themajorbenefitsareinlabourandwatersavings,andsoinvestmentinsuchatechnologyupgrademaynotbejustifiedonirrigationbaysthatarenotirrigatedasintensively,suchasthosegrowingannualpasturesandcrops.
Do you think other farmers would be interested in this change?
Theuptakeofthistechnologybyotherirrigatorswoulddependonafewfactors,includingfinancialresources,willingnesstoadoptnewtechnologies,prioritiesandindividualfarmcircumstances,andfutureplans.Intherightsetting,thesysteminstalledbyRobandLynneMcCartneycanbeaveryusefulupgrade.Technologiessuchasthese,whichmakeirrigationmoreefficientandeasierontheoperator,arelikelytobecomemoreprevalent.
What recommendations would you give to those thinking of installing such technologies?
Robhasfounditisessentialtoactuallycheckchannels,outlets,baysanddrainsregularly.Withthetelemetrysysteminplace,itiseasytojustassumealltheinfrastructureisingoodorder,wheninfacttherecouldbebankdecay,blockagesinthechannel,orleaksaroundthestops.Channelproblemssuchasthesealsohavethepotentialtoaffecttheirrigationschedulesrequired,astheautomationunitsdonotallowforchannelblowoutsorchangesinwatercommandlevels.
Any further comments?
TheMcCartney’sTaturafarmisnotyetpartofthemodernisedchannelnetwork.Thecoupleareinterestedtoseehowmuchmoreeffectivetheirautomationunitswillbeoncetheirsupplyismodernisedandtheyhaveamorereliablewatersupplylevelontotheirproperty.Eventually,thecouplewouldalsoliketolookintoinstallingsoilmoisturemonitoringprobesintheirirrigationbays,andhavethemtiedintotheautomaticirrigationunits.Thiscouldthenallowthemtomorecloselymatchirrigationstothewaterrequirementsoftheirirrigatedcrops.
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• FormoreinformationaboutIrrigationTechnologies,goto:www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/lwm_farmwater_irrigation_technologies
• Talktoanirrigationsurveyoranddesigneroroneofthecompaniesthatsuppliesandinstallsautomatedirrigationsystems
• CallDPIatEchuca(0354821922)orTatura(0358335700)andasktospeaktoanIrrigationModernisationOfficer.
• Talktootherfarmerswhohaveinstalledautomaticirrigationandtelemetrycontrolsystems
• Outletandtelemetrysystemcostsaretypicallyintherangeof$1,000–$1,800peroutlet,dependinguponthetypeofbayoutletandsystemsize.
FurtherinformationResearchTherehasbeenverylittleresearchintothewatersavingsbenefitsofautomatingborder-checkirrigation.Improvedlifestyleforthefarmers,andsavingsinlabourarelikelytobethemajorbenefitsintheGoulburnMurrayIrrigationDistrict(GMID).Unlikewater,whichvariesasacostofproductionfromyeartoyear,labourcostscanbeassumedtocontinuetoincreaseintothefuture,especiallyasskilledfarmlabourbecomesscarcer.
AdesktopstudybasedoninformationfromtwofarmsinnorthernVictoriareportedbyLavisetal.(2007)concludedthatborder-checkautomationwasassociatedwithreductionsinwateruseofbetween5%and9%,dependingonsoiltype.Thesavingsarosebecausewithautomation,irrigatorscouldcontinuetoirrigatebaysindividuallyandefficientlyatbusytimes,ratherthanadoptingthecommonpracticeofirrigatingseveralbaysatonceforlongerdurationatlowerflowrates,reducingtheirlabourinputbutleadingtodeepdrainageandwaterlosses.
Foragivenborder-checkirrigationlayout,thetwofactorsanirrigatorcancontrolaretherateandthedurationofwaterflowontotheirrigationbay.Bothaffectthequantityofwaterappliedtothebay.Ofthesetwocontrols,thedurationofirrigationistheeasiesttoadjust,butitsusehasmainlybeenbasedonexperienceratherthansciencetodate,becauseofarangeofissuessuchas:
• variableirrigationsupplylevels,andthereforevariableflowratesontofarmsandirrigationbays,whichcauseinconsistenciesforautomatedsystems.Modernisationoftheirrigationsupplysystempromisestogreatlyimprovetheconsistencyofirrigationflowratesandalleviatethisproblem.
• therequirementtoorderwater4daysaheadhasmeantthemoisturestatusofbaysatthetimeofirrigation,andthereforethecropwaterrequirement,couldbequitevariable.Again,systemmodernisationhaslargelyremovedthisasaproblem,withirrigatorsnowabletoorderandcancelwaterwithmuchlessnotice,meaningirrigationscannowbeappliedmoreconsistentlywithrespecttocropmoisturerequirement.
Modernisationshouldprovidemoreuniformoperatingconditionsthataremuchmoreconducivetoefficientsurfaceirrigationautomation.Inaddition,newmeteringwillprovidemoreaccuratemeasuresoftheactualflowrateandvolumeofwaterapplied.
Adoptionof‘highflow’irrigation,atflowratesabouttwicethelevelsofrecentbestpractice,willplacegreaterdemandsonirrigatorswithrespecttotimingofirrigationduration–mistakesathighflowrateswillbecorrespondinglygreater.Adoptionofautomation,asmadebyRobandLynne,willhelpensuretheycaptureanywatersavingbenefitsofhighflowrateirrigation.
Reference
Lavis,A.,Maskey,R.andLawler,D.(2007)QuantificationoftheFarmWaterSavingsWithAutomation,DepartmentofPrimaryIndustries,Victoria.
Background
ThisfarmhasbeenintheRyanfamilysince1865.AmajorchangetookplaceunderthepartnershipofJohnRyan’sfatheranduncle(WLandWLRyan)in1956whentheydecidedtodevelopaprivateirrigationdiversionfromLakeMulwalaontheMurrayRiver.Waterwasdeliveredtotheirpropertiesviaa16kmopen,earthenchannel.Soiltypesarepredominantlylightsandyclayloamswithhighinfiltrationrates,growingcereals,oatenhayandlucerne.
JohnandHeleneRyanboughtoutthepartnershipin1997.Their800hapropertythenhadawaterentitlementof1,171MLofhighsecuritywaterwhichtheenterpriseusedfully.TheRyan’shadalwaysknowntheir16kmsupplychannelwasinefficient,buttheproblemreallyhithomeduringthedroughtyearsof2006to2010whenseepage,leakageandevaporationlossesfromthesupplychannelconsumedmostoftheirreducedwaterallocations.
What change have you implemented and why did you do it?
Theoriginal16kmopenchannelsystemhasbeenreplacedwitha4.1kmpipelinepumpingdirectlyfromtheMurrayRiver.
UsingmethodsestablishedbyGoulburn-MurrayWaterandtheNorthernVictoriaIrrigationRenewalProjectforestimatinglossesinsimilaropenchannelsystems,theDepartmentofPrimaryIndustriescalculatedtheopenchannelsystemhadannuallossesof552MLduetoleakage,seepageandevaporation.Thenewpipelinesystemhasvirtuallyeliminatedthesewaterlossesfromthedeliverysystem,reducedlabourandon-goingmanagementcostsandwillenablediversificationofcroppingoptionsontheRyanfarm.
Where did you find information to help guide you?
Theprojecthadbeena‘pipedream’formorethanadecade,leftundevelopedduetothepotentialcost.JohnRyaneventuallydiscussedtheideawithDennisMoonfromCampaspeIrrigation,anirrigationdesignerandsupplier,whothendevelopeddesignoptionsandadvancedtheconcept.
InformationabouttheOn-FarmIrrigationEfficiencyProgram–whichhelpedfundtheproject–wasprovidedbytheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustries.TheOn-FarmIrrigationEfficiencyProgramisadministeredbytheGoulburnBrokenCatchmentManagementAuthority.
How much did it cost?
Thetotalcosttoremovetheoldsystemandinstallthepipelinewasapproximately$1.5million.About75%ofthiswasobtainedthroughtheAustralianGovernment’sOn-FarmIrrigationEfficiencyProgram,withtheRyansagreeingtotransfer276MLofwaterinordertoreceivefundingtoassistwiththeon-groundworksinvolved.
What was the result of the change and was the investment worthwhile?
TheRyanfamilybelievestheirenterprisewillbemoreproductiveandprofitableasaresultofinstallingthepipeline.Theyfeelthefarmisnowmoreviableandmoreresilienttothepotentialimpactsoffutureclimateandwaterpolicychallengesbecausetheycanusetheirwaterassetmoreefficiently.
TheRyansbelievecropyieldswerelowinthepastduetotheirinefficientirrigationdeliverysystem.Theybelievethenewsystemwillenablenew,highervaluecroppingoptions.What are the benefits?
Theprojecthasdeliveredarangeofbenefits.Waterlossesassociatedwiththeopenchannelsystemarenolongeranissue.Improvedwatermetering,installedaspartofthenewsystem,providestheabilitytoaccuratelymeasurethewateruseofindividualcrops.
Maintenancecostsofthepipelinearemuchlowercomparedwiththeopenchannel,withherbicidespraying,channelbankrepairsandde-siltingoftheopenchannelnolongerrequired.Landoccupiedbychannelscannowbereturnedtoproductivepurposes.
Thepressurisedwatersupplywillallowmoreprecisedeliveryofwaterwhenrequired,whichshouldleadtoimprovedcropyieldsandtheabilitytodiversifycrops.
Apressurisedsupplytothefarmalsopavesthewayforpossiblefutureprecisionirrigationdevelopment,basedonsprinklerordripirrigationtechnologies.
Who:TheRyanFamily
Where: Yarrawonga
Enterprise:Cropping
What:Oldchannelsystemreplacedbypipeline
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Overall,theRyanfamilyhaseveryconfidencethenewpipelinewilldeliverthedesiredresult.Thenewsystemwilldefinitelyprovideabetterirrigationsystem,ensuringthelongtermviabilityofthepropertyandincreasingitsvalue.Thenewsystemwillbeutilisedtogrowmoreprofitablecropsandallowmorediverseoptionstobeconsidered.
Are there any disadvantages?
Thepipelinehasahigherenergyusecomparedwiththeopenchannelsystem,whichisabusinessriskifenergycostscontinuetorise.TheRyansconsideredthetrade-offbetweenongoingpumpingcostsandthehigherinitialcostofinstallingalargerdiameterpipeoverthepipelinelength.Byinstallingalargerdiameterpipethantherecommendedminimumsize,theRyansreducedtheongoingenergycostofpumping,andtheimpactoffutureenergycostincreases.
Projectmanagementcosts,timetakenawayfromthecorecroppingbusinessandtheconsequentimpactontheRyan’slifestyle,wereissuesduringtheconstructionoftheproject.
Do you think other farmers would be interested in the change? Manypeople,includingneighbouringlandholders,havediscussedthesystemwiththeRyanfamilyandhavewatchedtheprogressoftheprojectoverthepast15months.
Are there situations where you think it wouldn’t work?
Replacinganeffectivelylinedchannelwithapipelinewouldhavelittlenetbenefit.Shortlengthsofopenchannel,lessthanonekilometre,areunlikelytowarrantconsiderationofapressurisedpipelineforwatersavingsalone.Situationswherelowercosttechnologycouldbeeffectivelyutilisedtosupplywatertothepropertywithminimallosses,inparticularwithgravitydelivery,maybepreferabletotheexpenseofpumpingthroughapipeline.
Is there anything else to add?
Thedecisiontoinstallalargerdiameterpipelinethantheminimumrecommended,toreducepumpingenergycosts,wasworthwhile.Thiswasatrade-offbetweenaninitialhighercost,largerdiameterpipeswithlowerongoingpumpingcosts,andlessexpensive,smallerdiameterpipeswithhigherongoingpumpingcosts.
TheprojecthasrequiredflexiblethinkingbyboththeRyansandtheircontractorstoachievethefinalresult.Theyrequiredagoodsolicitorwillingandabletodealwithsuchaproject,andneededtofindandusethebestpeopleavailableinotherareas.
PipelinebeinginstalledOpenchannelsystem
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• Formoreinformationaboutirrigationtechnologies,goto:www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/lwm_farmwater_irrigation_technologies
• Talktoanirrigationsurveyoranddesigneroracompanythatsuppliesandinstallspipelinesystems.
Furtherinformation
ResearchIrrigationsupplychannellossesthroughouttheregionaccountforamajorproportionofallthewaterdivertedfromtheMurrayandGoulburnriversystems.Channelseepage,leakageandevaporationlossesestimatedforthelargeStuartMurraychannelsystemforthe2005/6seasontotalled31.5%ofentitlement(DSE,2010).Fortheprivate16kmlongchannelsystemthatpreviouslysuppliedtheRyan’sproperty,lossesduetoseepage,leakageandevaporationofabout50%arequiteunderstandable,consideringthepermeablesoiltypesanditssmallchannelsize.
PreventingsuchsignificantwaterlossesthroughpipingthesupplyclearlymakesalotofsensefortheRyans,whoduringthedroughtyearsmayhavepaidforalotofveryexpensivewaterthatdidnotendupontheircrops.
Formanyirrigatorsconsideringwhethertopipefarmchannels,thewatersavingsalonewouldnotjustifytheinstallationandongoingoperatingcostsofapipedsystem.Inthecontextofthewholefarmoperationhowever,wherewaterisonlyoneofmanyinputstothefarmingsystem,otheraspectsshouldbeconsideredinthedecision.Theseconsiderationsincludelabourandmaintenancecosts,flexibilityinfarmoperationsandlayout,increasedproduction,newcropoptions,andimprovedlifestylefortheoperators.
Thekeyistocarefullyconsiderthesedecisionsinthecontextofthewholefarmbusinessandthefarmingfamily’splansforthefuture.ToolsavailablethroughDPIsuchasWholeFarmPlanningcanhelpirrigatorsdecidewhattodointheirparticularcircumstances.
Reference
DSE,2010.WaterSavingsProtocolTechnicalManualfortheQuantificationofWaterSavings.DepartmentofSustainabilityandEnvironment
Thecompletedpipelineinstallation
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Background
ColinMyerspurchasedhispropertyfromhisfatherintheearly1980s.Itconsistedofmarginallandwithlargeareasaffectedbysalinity.Overtheyears,thepropertyhasbeenusedforcropping,mixedgrazingandvegetablegrowing.Upuntil1990,thetraditionalcarryingcapacitywasaround1,000ewes(1,000DSE)on230hectares.Tosustainthiscarryingcapacity,mostoftheincomegeneratedfromthepropertywasgoingoutinirrigationwaterpumpingcosts(around80%).Thepropertywasnotonagravitysupplysystem,soallirrigationwaterhadtobeliftedfromtheLoddonRiver.Unreliableriverlevelsmadeirrigationsdifficult,withthepumpschangingflowastheriverleveldropped.Theenergycostsinvolvedwerehigh,andfloodsdamagedpumpsandmotorsseveraltimesinthe1980s.
What change have you implemented?
Thedecisiontodramaticallyreduceirrigationonthepropertyoccurredintheearly1990s.Basedonincreasingcosts,salinity,andotherdifficultiescombinedwithreducingcommodityprices,thedecisioncameeasily.Thedecisionresultedinthesellingofalargeproportionofthewaterentitlement.
Colinthenbecameinterestedintriallingnativegrassesonhispropertyduetotheirresiliencetodroughtconditionsandsalinity.Nativegrasseshaveanaturaltendencytoimprovegroundcover,suchanimportantaspectinfightingsalinityandwinderosion.
Why did you implement this change?
Throughoutthe1970sand1980sirrigationwasbecomingincreasinglyunprofitablefortheenterprise.Theirrigationwatersourcewasbecomingmoreunreliableintermsofallocationandquality,whilepumpingcostswereeverincreasing.Changingfromfullirrigationtomainlydrylandfarming,withintermittentirrigationwhenhighriverflowspermitted,isclosertonaturalrainfallevents.
Where did you find information to help guide you?
Wantingtoknowmoreabouthissoilsandnewmethodsfordealingwithsalinity,ColinjoinedthelocalLandcareGroup,wherehelearntwhathissoilsrequiredforoptimumhealthandthereforeperformanceinthelocalarea.Theaddedbenefitofthisknowledgewasreducedrelianceonchemicals,bothfertiliserandherbicide.
“Ifthesoilhastherightnutrientsinit,quiteoften
youwouldn’tneedtousesomanychemicals.So
westartedtolookatwhatthesoilsneedandfound
organicmatterwasthemainlackingingredient
(downto1%)andlowcalciumandhighmagnesium.”
Were you able to gain any assistance for the change?
Apartfromsomeassistanceinestablishingtallwheatgrass,therehavenotbeenanysourcesoffinancialassistanceavailabletoColinforthelongtermchangeshehasmade.ManyofthechangeshavebeenmadeonthebasisofspeakingtolocalDPItechnicalstaff,andasmanytechnicalpeopleaspossiblewhowereabletohelp.
“PeopleunderstoodwhereIwastryingtogettobut
wereunsureonhowtogetthereandbeviableatthe
sametime.”
OtherchangeshavebeentheresultofColintriallingdifferentapproachesandlearningfromhissuccessesandfailures.
Who:ColinMyers
Where: Kerang
Enterprise:Sheepandfatlambs
What:Transitioningtodrylandfarming
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What was the result of the change and was the investment worthwhile?
”Theextremelyhighdroughttoleranceofnative
grassesandshrubshelpstomakethefarmmuchmore
flexibleandresilient.Whilstwehadtomovetoa
muchlowerstockingrate,wealsodrasticallyreduced
alltheotherinputs;noirrigation,nofertilisers,no
spraysandmuchreducedlabour.Youmusttakethat
intoaccountwhenyoulookatourstockingrate.”
Colinhasn’tgonecompletelytonativegrasses,sostillreliesontheintroducedpasturespeciesonthepropertyforsomeproduction.Hesaystheamountofcloverandryegrassproductionisnowreallyimpressive.Colinsuspectsithassomethingtodowiththenativesprovidinggroundcover,andreducingsoilmoisturelossandwinderosion.
Althoughareductionincarryingcapacity(downtoapproximately400ewes),Colinnowsees80%ofincomegotohispocketratherthantocosts.Whilstirrigationisstillpossible(1996wasthelastevent),itisColin’sapproachtoflexiblefarmingandadaptationtochangingcircumstancesthatispayingdividends.
Why do you think the change has worked?
“We’veestablishedandencouragedanumberofnativespeciesonourproperty,includinghedgesaltbush,windmillgrass,speargrass,ratstailedcouch(growsinsalineareas),rubysaltbushandcreepingsaltbush.Allofthesearevitaltostopthelandfromdryingoutandcopingwiththesoilconditionswehad.”
Do you think other farmers would be interested in this change?
20yearsagothelandinpicture(below)wasbare,salinegroundthatwouldn’tgrowanything.Thisareahasstillneverbeenwateredexceptforflooding.Throughcarefulmanagementofstockingratesandlookingaftersoilhealth,thisareahasbeenturnedintoviable,productiveagriculturalland.
Colinsaysthewholepropertyisnowproductive,whichisremarkablegiventheconditionitwasin30yearsago.Thediversityofspeciesthatarenowpresentonthepropertyhasseeminglyincreasedthehealthofhisstock.AnexampleofthisisColin’sstockpreferencetograzespeciessuchasBeadbush,whichreplacestheneedforstocksaltlicks.
What recommendations would you give to those thinking of getting out of irrigation?
ThekeytothesuccessfulestablishmentandutilisationofnativegrassesandshrubsonColin’spropertyhasbeentocarefullymanagestockingratesandgrazing.Reducingstockingratestoasustainablelevel,aswellasthetimingofgrazingtoallowseedbankestablishmentandgermination,isvital.
Any further comments?
“I’mnowquitehappytohandthepropertyoverto
mychildrengiventhegoodsoilhealthandincreased
biodiversitynowpresent.”
ColinMyersstandingonpreviouslyseverelysalinisedland
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• Formanycasestudies,innovationsandtechnicalinformationaboutperennialsinprofitablefarmingsystems,seetheFutureFarmIndustriesCRCwebsite:www.futurefarmonline.com.au
• Forfurtherinformationonsoilhealth,seetheDPIVictoriaVictorianResourcesOnlinewebsite:www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soilhealth_toolbox_managing_soil
Furtherinformation
ResearchColin’sexperienceindealingwitharangeofadversefarmingconditionsisagreatexampleofsomeoneadaptingtochange,andmakingpositivedecisionstotakebacksomecontrolovertheircircumstances.
Priortothedrought,thelandaroundKerangwasseverelyaffectedbysalinity.Whileirrigationonthebettersoilsonthepropertymayhavemaintainedproductivityonthoseareas,itislikelysalinityinthesurroundingareaswasalsomadeworse.
Colin’sdecisiontoreduceinputcostsalsochallengedtheconventionalfarmingbusinessmodelthatusuallyseekstoexpandorbecomemoreintensive.Whileclearlysuchdecisionswillnotsuitmany,thechoicesmadeareavalidoptionwhendealingwithchangesthatareforceduponthefarmenterprise.
Muchresearchandexperiencehasbeengainedinthepasttwodecadesintheimportanceofsoilhealth–especiallyhighorganiccontent,healthybiologicalactivityandplantselectionsthatsuitthesoil.Grazingmanagementalsoplaysaverybigpartinbuildingresilienceinthepastureplantsandsoilhealth,withstockingrates,durationandtimingallveryimportantinimprovingandmaintainingthehealthofthesoilandplants.
Withtheintroductionofwatermarkets,andmorerecentlybuybackprogramsforirrigationwater,manyfarmerswillbefacedwithhavingtomakedecisionsabouttheirfarmingfuture.ColinMyers’decisionstosellwateranddevelopalessintensivefarmbusinesshavegeneratedarangeofbenefitsforhim.Reducingdebtlevels,reducedlabourinput,improvedlifestyle,reducedenergyinputs,reducedherbicideusage,lowerfertiliserinputs,improveddroughtresilience,healthierstockandsoils,controloversalinity,andavailabilityofwatercreatedforotherusers–thesearesomeofmanypositivesresultingfromthechangesColinhasmadeinresponsetothechallengesthathavearisenoverthepast20years.
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Background
EdandMoiraBourke,alongwithsonDanandhiswifeCaitlin,farmapproximately1,500acres(over600hectares)atNathalia.Edhasbeenrunningthefamilyfarmsincetakingoverfromhisfathermorethan20yearsago,andheandMoirahavenowbeenjoinedbyDanandCaitlininthefamilyfarmingoperation.
Theyrun900firstcrossewesand55beefcattleaswellascroppingwheat,barleyandoatsonthepropertywhichcomprisesmainlysandyloam/loamsoiltypes.
ThepropertyisirrigatedviaanelectricpumpsiteddirectlyontheBrokenCreek(ontheMurraysystem)aswellasanumberofoutletsservicedbytheSheppartonchannelsystem.
What change have you implemented?
Originally,thepropertywaslaidoutforfloodirrigation.In2009theBourkeshadaWholeFarmPlanpreparedfortheproperty.OneofthereasonsfordevelopingtheWholeFarmPlanwasthefact40hectaresonthehomepropertyideallylentitselftoacentrepivot.Itwasagoodsizedsectionofland,hadsandysoilsandtheirrigationinfrastructureneededupgrading.
Thecentrepivotwasinstalledtwoyearsago.TheBourkescouldn’tspeakhighlyenoughoftheexcellentservicetheyreceivedbeforeandduringtheinstallation.
“Theywereveryhelpfulansweringquestionsand
explainingthingsclearlysotherewerenoconcerns
astowhetherweweredoingtherightthing.”
Whiletheyhadn’teverirrigatedusingacentrepivotbefore,theBourkeswereconfidentitwouldbesuitabletechnologyforthispartoftheirproperty.OtherthanspeakingtothePlanrightirrigationdesignerandthestafffromRichRiverIrrigation,theydidn’tactivelysearchforinformationbeforemakingthedecisiontoinstallthecentrepivotontheirproperty.
Why did you implement this change?
TheBourkessaidtherewereanumberofreasonsforwantingtoinstallthecentrepivot.Whiletheattractionofimprovingthewateruseefficiencyonthatsectionofpropertyfeaturedhighly,therewerealsotheaddedbenefitsofupgradingtheirrigationinfrastructure,lifestylebenefitsinreducingthetimeinvolvedinwatering,aswellasprovidingadditionalcropproductionoptions.
The40hectareslentitselfperfectlytoacentrepivot;ithadsandysoil,wasagoodsizedarea,locatedclosetotheBrokenCreekandhadnonativevegetationimpacts.
Who:Moira,EdandDanBourke
Where: Nathalia
Enterprise:Sheep,BeefandCropping
What:Conversionoffloodtosprayirrigation
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What did it cost to make the change?
TheBourkesestimateitcostaround$200,000toinstallthecentrepivotandassociatedstructures.Theactualpivotcostcloseto$185,000andanother$20,000wasrequiredtoupgradethetransformerfortheelectricpump.
Therewasverylittleworkrequiredtodecommissiontheoldfloodirrigationsetup.Onefenceneededtoberemoved,farmchannelsfilledinandbayoutletspulledout.Veryminimalearthworkswererequired.
TheBourkesfundedtheentireprojectthemselvesasnootherfundingopportunitieswereavailableatthetime.
What was the result of the change?
Oneofthemostnoticeablechangessincetheinstallationofthecentrepivothasbeenthereductioninwaterusage.Toirrigatethe40hectarespreviously,theywoulduse20MLperirrigation.Withthecentrepivot,thishasbeenreducedto7.5MLperwatering*.Theuniformityofirrigationhasalsobeenapositiveoutcome,withtheBourkesnotingthereisnowamuchmoreevendistributionacrosstheirrigatedarea.
Anotherbigplushasbeentheabilitytosowgrazingwheattoprovidefeedfortheewesandlambsoverwinter,autumnandearlyspring.Whenitwasfloodirrigated,thisoptionwasn’tpractical,especiallyduringthedryyears.TheBourkessaythecentrepivothasledtoanincreaseintheproductivityofthe40hectareswhichwaspreviouslyjustusedasagrazingpaddock.Whilenotabletoquoteexactfigures,theyfirmlybelieveithasimprovedthetonnageperhectareproducedfromthatarea.
Theyalsohighlightthatwateringisaloteasiernow,withmoretimeavailabletodootherthings.
“Becauseitisanautomatedsystem,there’snoneed
tobeupatnightchasingwater.Itdefinitelysaves
time.”
TheonlynegativefromtheBourkes’perspectivewasthefacttheyhadtopaythefullcostofupgradingthepower-supplytransformerforthepump.However,insayingthis,theydidnotetheassistancetheyreceivedfromPowercorduringthistimewasmuchappreciated,astheymadetheprocesseasierbykeepingtheBourkesinformedandup-to-dateduringtheupgrade.
Was the investment worthwhile?
TheBourkescommentedtheydidn’trealisehowmuchwatertheywouldsavebeforetheybeganirrigatingwiththecentrepivot.Theyknewtherewouldbewatersavings,buthadn’treallycrunchedthenumbers.
Althoughnotabletoaccessanyfundingassistancetoinstallthecentrepivot,thefamilybelievesitisthebestthingtheyhavedonetoimprovetheirfarm.Havingtheabilitytoproduceautumnandspringfeedfortheirewesandlambsisahugebenefittotheirfarmingoperations.
Giventheywerepreviouslypumpingwaterontotheproperty,thehigherpumpingcostsforthecentrepivotwasn’tmuchofanissueforthem.TheBourkesareawareitonlytakes36hourstodoafullcycleofwatering,andthiscanbedoneontheweekendwhentheycanuseoff-peakelectricity.Theusageofoff-peakelectricityalongwithshorterpumpingtimeshasgreatlyreducedtheamountofelectricityused,andsoreducedtheoperatingcost.
Itmighthavebeenadifferentstoryiftheirpreviousirrigationsystemhadbeengravityfed,buttheirsoiltypes,locationonthefarm,existinglayoutonthe40hectaresandtheirneedforbetterwaterusage,meantthecentrepivotwouldprobablystillhavebeentheirpreferredoption.
Would other farmers be interested in the change? TheBourkescommentedthatotherfarmersintheareahavealreadyvisitedtheirpropertytolookatthesetupanddiscussthedifferenceithasmadetotheBourkes’productivityandfarmingoperation.Whilesomeofthesevisitsarepurelyoutofcuriosityaboutthenewtechnology,theysayanumberofvisitorsarepeoplegenuinelyinterestedinthepotentialofacentrepivotfortheirownproperties.
Are pivots for everybody?
TheBourkesnotethateverysituationisdifferentandacentrepivotmightnotbetheanswerforallproperties.TheybelievetheirWholeFarmPlanwasusefulinidentifyingthepotentialforacentrepivotonthatparticularpartoftheirproperty.Ifthesoiltypeshadbeenheavier,thegravityfloodinfrastructurebeenmodernisedornativevegetationprevalent,acentrepivotwouldnothavebeenthemostappropriatetechnologytoinstall.Individualsshouldtakeintoaccounttheirowncircumstancesbeforemakingsuchadecision.Apotentialuserneedstounderstandwhattheywanttoachieveandwhatthecostisgoingtobe.FortheBourkes,thefuturebenefitsofthecentrepivotfaroutweighedtheinitialcostofinstallation.
* Beawaretotalwateruseshouldbeassessednotjustperirrigation
11Stateoftheart-onirrigationfarms-Edition2
Formoreinformationaboutirrigationtechnologies,goto:
• www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/lwm_farmwater_efficient_irrigation_design_4.2
• DPIAgNote#AG1280.CentrePivotSystemCapacity.Published:June2007
• DPIAgNote#AG1281CentrePivots–CapitalandOperatingCostTrade-off.Published:June2007
• Talktoanirrigationsurveyoranddesigneroracompanythatsuppliesandinstallstravellingirrigationsystems.
• CallDPIatEchuca(0354821922)orTatura(0358335700)andasktospeaktoanIrrigationModernisationOfficer.
• Talktootherfarmerswhohaveinstalledcentrepivotorlateralmoveirrigators.
Furtherinformation
ResearchCentrePivotirrigatorsprovideprecisecontroloverirrigationapplicationratesandareparticularlywellsuitedtoirrigatinglightersoils.IntheBourkes’particularsituation,thefacttheyalreadypumpedwaterfromtheBrokenCreektosupplyaninefficientborder-check(flood)irrigationlayout,madeacentrepivotsystemagoodoption.Installingacentrepivotsystemmeanttheyavoidedlasergradingcosts,andbypumpinglessvolumeofwater(7.5MLperirrigationcomparedto20ML,albeitatahigherpressure),hasalsohelpedtocontainthepumpingcost.
AcomprehensiveguideforanyoneconsideringwhethertoinstallacentrepivotorlateralmoveirrigatorcanbefoundontheDPIwebsiteattheaddressgivenbelow.
Thekeypointstonoteareasfollows:
• Afarmwatersupplysystemneedstobeabletosupplythevolumeofwaterrequiredondemand.Thisisgenerallymoredifficultintheun-modernisedchannelnetworkreliantuponmanualdeliveries,especiallyonsmallerchannels.
• Correctsizingofthesystemneedstotakeintoaccountanumberofissues,butthemainlimitisthesystemcapacity,whichisthemaximumamountofwateritcanapply.Mostsystemsaretypicallyratedbetween8to20mm/day.Ifasystemisundersized,thenitwillbeunabletoapplyenoughwatertomeetcropwaterrequirementsduringthehottertimesoftheyear.Thismaycompromisemaximumproductiononoccasionsinsummer,butontheotherhand,asmallersystemwillhavealowerpurchasecostandoperatingcostswillalsobereduced.
• Havingalowersystemcapacitydoesnotnecessarilymeanplantswilldieinhotweather.Whileoperatingalowercapacitysystemcontinuouslycanmaintainsoilmoisturelevels,ifthesystemcapacityislowerthanthepeakwaterrequirement,thecropwillextractwaterfromthesoilfasterthanthepivotcanreplaceit.Ifthepivotthenbreaksdown,itcanbeverydifficulttorestoresoilmoisturelevelsforoptimalproduction.Asmallersystemcapacityrequiresahigherlevelofmanagementtoavoidproductivitylossandisatgreaterriskofcroplossesifthereisabreakdownorpoweroutage.Alargersystemcapacitygivesadditionalsecurityforlimitedadditionalcapitalcost.
TheDPIAgNote1281(CentrePivots–CapitalandOperatingCostTrade-off)describesindetailthetrade-offbetweenupfrontcapitalcostsandoperatingcosts.Aslightlyhighercapitalinvestmentup-frontcanreduceoperatingcostsoverthelifeofthesystem.Cheaper,smallersizedsystemscostmoretorun,soitisimportanttoweighupallaspectsofdesignandoperation.Selectingalargersystemcapacitynotonlyimprovessecurity,butoperatingcostsarealsolowered,contributingtowardsbottom-linefarmprofitability.
BaseduponthehistoricalclimatedataforTatura,theminimumrecommendedsystemcapacityis12mm/day.Toachieveanirrigationof20to25mm,afullcirclewouldneedtobesettooccurovertwodays.Stageofcropgrowth,timeofyearandrainfallalsoneedtobetakenintoconsiderationwhendecidingwhentoscheduleirrigations,butcanusuallybeeasilyprogrammedandhandledbymoderncentrepivotcontrolsystems.
Themajorrunningcostsofpressurisedirrigationsystemsaredirectlyrelatedtopumping.Typicalenergyrequirementsare130kWh/MLpumped,soatapeakelectricitychargeof28c/kWh,thecostis
$36/ML.Ifoff-peakpowercanbeused,thecostwillbeabouthalf.Dieseloperatedpumpingwilltypicallyrequire39litresofdieselperMLapplied.ThereforeintheBourkes’system,eachirrigationwillusenearly1,000kWhofelectricity,andcostapproximately$120to$270,dependingupontheelectricitypricetariffandsupplycharge.
12 Stateoftheart-onirrigationfarms-Edition2
Background
BarryandDonnastartedoutfarmingasirrigators.Intheearly1990sthecostofwaterwasreachingapointwheretheyfeltitwasbecomingunviabletokeepirrigating,sotheybeganaprocessoftransitioningintodrylandagriculture.Thedecisiontoexpandintodrylandagriculturewasreinforcedbythedroughtconditionsinrecentyears.
Becauseofthedryconditions,thelastirrigationoccurred4yearsago.Althoughwaterbecameavailableagainin2010,itwascarriedovertothisyear.Itwillbeusedtoirrigatelucernetofinishtheprimelambs,whichwastheprimaryuseofirrigationbeforethedrought.
Theirpropertyisnow1,740hainarea;ofwhich32haisstillabletobeirrigatedwiththe40MLwaterrightstillremaining.
What have you changed?
PurchasingirrigationpropertiesandusingthemfordrylandagriculturehasrequiredDonnaandBarrytomakeanumberofchangestothefarms.Thishasincludedearthworksandfencing,filling-intheirrigationchannelsandpullingoutthechannelstops,aswellasensuringinfrastructureisavailableforthestockanddomesticwatersupply–whichinvolvedinstallingpipesandtroughs,andinonecaseconnectingtotheirrigationbackbone.
Thesechangescanbecostly.Asanexample,one324hectaredairypropertypurchasedbythecouplerequired$45,000worthofcontractorworkforearthworks.Barryworkedfor2monthssolidpreparingtheareafordrylandcropping,includingpullingoutchannelstopsandremoving12kmoffencing.OtherpropertiestheyhavepurchasedhaverequiredaboutamonthofBarry’slabour.
Thesechangesmaximisetheefficiencyoffuturecroppingpracticesbyexpandingtheareaofeachpaddocktoasizethatisoptimumforcroppingmachinery.
Ongoingcostsarealsoassociatedwithtransitioningirrigationpaddocksintodrylandpaddocks.Soilsinareaswherechannelshavebeenremovedhaveatendencytoslumpovertime.Theserequiretoppingup2yearsaftertheinitialworkisdoneandthenagain3-4yearslater.Inthepast,thishasrequiredabout2weeksofBarry’slabour.
Preparingirrigationlandfordrylandagricultureisgenerallyasmoothprocessthattakesabout6months.However,discussionswiththerelevantorganisationstodisconnectpropertiesfromthesystemcanbelengthy.
What made you decide to expand into dryland farming?
Thedecisiontoexpandtheareaofdrylandagricultureandreduceirrigationhasbeentheresultoflowwateravailabilityandhighwaterpricesmakingdrylandfarmingmoreviablethanirrigation.
ThedecisiontoincreasetheirareaofdrylandfarmhasbeenrelativelyeasyforBarryandDonna,asithashappenedgraduallyovermanyyears.Theybelieveitisimportanttobecontinuallyadaptingtochangingconditions.
“Droughttaughtushowtofarmwithoutwater.So
nowwearefarmingmoreMalleestyle.These
changescanbehardfortheoldergeneration.”
What made you decide to expand into dryland farming?
ThechannelsupplyingtheremainingirrigationonthepropertyiscurrentlyopenanddiscussionstodecommissionthischannelaspartoftheNorthernVictoriaIrrigationRenewalProject(NVIRP)willoccurinthefuture.Decommissioningthechannelwillprovidebothchallengesandopportunities.
Forexample,thechannelwaterisusedforstockanddomesticsupplyandprovidesabarrierforsheepinsomepaddocks.Therefore,infrastructuretocontinuethesupplyofstockanddomesticwaterwillbeneededandadditionalfencingmayberequiredinsomepaddockswherechannelsareremoved.Compensationwillbeneededfortheassociatedcosts.
“It’simportanttorememberfilling-inchannelsalso
resultsinfilling-inofdrainagesystemsthatare
importantwhensalinityispresent.”
Who:BarryandDonnaSmith
Where: LoddonValleyirrigationarea
Enterprise:Croppingandgrazing
What:Irrigationpropertiespurchasedandconvertedtoonemixeddrylandfarm
Stateoftheart-onirrigationfarms
AGradualTransitiontoDryland
Onthefarm
13Stateoftheart-onirrigationfarms-Edition2
Onthepositiveside,decommissioningtheirrigationchannelcouldprovideanopportunitytochangethelayoutofthelandtomaximiseefficiency,forexample,establishinglargerpaddocksforcroppingandaddingpotentialvegetationbufferstrips.
Ifthechannelisdecommissioned,BarryandDonnawillexpandtheircurrentdrylandcroppingintotheremainingirrigationpaddocks.Thiswillbearelativelyeasytransition.
Have you been able to find good information?
DonnaandBarryarepredominantlydrylandfarmersandwillonlyrequirelimitednewinformationtofurtherexpandtheiroperation.However,theyrecognisegainingknowledgeisanimportantfirststepforthosewhohaven’tbeeninvolvedindrylandfarmingbefore.
Understandingthesoilcapabilityofafarmandtheexpectedreturnsfromdistrictaveragesisimportant,especiallyasreturnscanvarygreatlyfromdistricttodistrict.DonnaandBarryalsobelieveit’simportanttouselocalfarmnetworkstoaccesslocalknowledge.
Moderntractorsandheadersgenerallyhavealotoftechnologyassociatedwiththem,soundertakingtrainingsessionsonthisequipment,asBarryhasdone,canbeveryuseful.
“Peopledoneedsometrainingandeducationtoget
uptospeed.Thereisalotofinformationaround.”
How does the switch to dryland farming change profitability?
BarryandDonnapredominantlydrylandcrop.Thetransitiontotheircurrentpositionhasinvolvedpurchasingirrigationblocksandsellingthehighreliabilityirrigationwatertofundthepurchase.Thisensuredthecouplecontinuedtoincreasetheirequitywhileexpanding.
Theprofitabilityofbothdrylandgrazingandcroppingisgenerallylow,thereforethecouplehaveincreasedthesizeoftheirlandholdingtoensuretheirbusinessgeneratesalargeenoughreturntosupporttheirlifestyle.
Awheatcropreadytobeharvested
Theirrigationchannel
Sheepgrazeinalucernepaddock
Oneoftheremainingpaddocksthatcanbeirrigated
14 Stateoftheart-onirrigationfarms-Edition2
Ifyouwouldliketoreceivethisinformation/publicationinanaccessibleformat(suchaslargeprintoraudio)pleasecalltheCustomerServiceCentreon136186,TTY1800122969,oremailcustomer.service@dpi.vic.gov.au.PublishedbytheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustriesFarmServicesVictoria,May2012.
©TheStateofVictoria2012.
Thispublicationiscopyright.NopartmaybereproducedbyanyprocessexceptinaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheCopyright Act 1968.
AuthorisedbytheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustries,1SpringStreet,Melbourne3000.
ISBN978-1-74326-108-8(print)ISBN978-1-74326-109-5(online)
Disclaimer ThispublicationmaybeofassistancetoyoubuttheStateofVictoriaanditsemployeesdonotguaranteethatthepublicationiswithoutflawofanykindoriswhollyappropriateforyourparticularpurposesandthereforedisclaimsallliabilityforanyerror,lossorotherconsequencewhichmayarisefromyourelyingonanyinformationinthispublication.
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http://vro.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/lwm_state_art_irrigation
AdoptingSustainableFarmingPractices
Formoreinformationaboutpostirrigationoptions:
• CallDPIatEchuca(0354821922)orTatura(0358335700)andasktospeaktoanIrrigationModernisationOfficer.
• Talktootherfarmersinyourdistrictwhohavemadetransitionsawayfromirrigation.
Furtherinformation
ResearchTheimpactofthedrought,watertrade,unbundlingwaterfromlandandchannelrationalisationonirrigationfarmingintheGoulburn,MurrayandLoddonirrigationdistrictsoverthepast10yearshasbeenenormous.Mappingofirrigatedland-usechangeacrosstheregionfrom2003to2008hasrecordedadropinperennialpasturefrom141,000hato35,000ha.Autumnpasture/crophasdroppedfrom73,000hato32,000ha(DPI2010).Overallirrigationactivityreduced40%andperennialpasturereduced75%.Thisfollowsontopofchangesmappedbetween1996and2003,whentheareaofperennialpasturefellfrom203,000to141,000ha.(Morse-McNabbetal2008.)
ForlandholdersliketheSmithswhowishedtoremainfarmingwhilstadaptingtothechangesgoingonintheregion,theirdecisiontotradewaterforlandareaisareflectionoftheregionalfigures.BarryandDonnaclearlyrecognisetheprofitabilityofdrylandfarmingissubstantiallylowerthanirrigationfarming.AustralianBureauofStatisticsfigures(ABS2006)foundfarmsthatirrigated,generatedonaverage55%moreoutputperfarmin2003–04thanfarmswhichdidnotirrigate,hencetheneedtoincreasefarmareatomaintainenterprisescaleandprofitability.
WhiletheSmithsmayyetenduphavingtheirlastremainingirrigationsupplydecommissioned,foranyfarmenterprise,keepingitopenasanoptionprovidesadditionalsecurityandresiliencetotheenterprise.Particularlygiventheuncertaintyofdroughtandthefailureoftimelyrainsinsomeyears,theabilitytomaintainlucerneproductionduringadryphase,ortobeabletofinishoffaspringcropiftherainsfail,ispotentiallybeneficial.Especiallyinseasonswithhighwateravailability,temporarytradeofwaterwillbecheap,soretainingtheabilitytocapitaliseonsuchopportunitiesmaybevaluableformanyfarmenterprises,aswellasfortheregionalcommunityandeconomy.
Reference
McAllisterA,2010.UnderstandingLandholders:ChangingLanduseintheGMID.MilestoneReport,DPI.
Morse-McNabbL,McAllisterA,KaineG,RowbottomBandLinehanC.2008.SpatialmarketsegmentationandHealthproductivelandscapeframework.DPIreport.ISBN978-1-74199-971-6
ABS,2006.CharacteristicsofAustralia’sIrrigatedFarms2000-01to2003-04,#4623.0,ISSN0642482241