Farms, rivers, markets: a whole-of-system approach to doing more with less water
Project details
| Objective: | To demonstrate an integrated whole of system approach to deliver more efficient water management for farmers, water service providers and environmental water managers. |
| Funding: | $8,600,000 |
| Jurisdiction: | Victoria |
| Commenced: | 13 June 2008 |
| Completion: | 1 November 2011 |
About the project
The project uses the Broken River in the Goulburn Valley and the University of Melbourne's Dookie Farm campus to develop new systems for managing surface and groundwater resources.
The project's inter-disciplinary program, taking in agricultural science, engineering, ecology, hydrology and water markets, will create opportunities and learnings to "do more with less water". The use of new technology will enable operational innovations to improve level of service, reduce losses and boost efficiency. The project will have outcomes that are applicable to agricultural systems across Australia.
The project takes a whole-of-system approach, encompassing three key perspectives:
- farms - irrigation water as part of the production system
- rivers (surface water) and groundwater - managed together to meet environmental and production needs
- markets - greater sharing of information to promote choice, innovation and efficiency.
Project benefits
Key National Water Initiative outcomes are increased efficiency of water use in agriculture and more effective and efficient management of environmental water. Project-specific outcomes include:
- comprehensive water and natural resource accounting for farms, rivers and catchments
- more flexible use of all farm water sources
- greater efficiency of the water supply chain from the dam to the crop
- refined measures of ecosystem, river health and habitat needs
- improved understanding of river hydraulics, hydraulic habitat, surface/groundwater interactions and long-term protection of groundwater resources
- improved river operating systems and reduced river operating losses, to satisfy the requirements of both farmers and ecosystems more efficiently and effectively
- innovative water markets enabled by better water measurement and flow control to allow trading between irrigation and the environment, surface and ground water, and to improve scheduling of water deliveries during peak demand periods.