Start date: May 2010
End date: June 2012

Graham Harris, +617 46881559
graham.harris@deedi.qld.gov.au

This extension project supports the implementation of the HHWUE. It will provide a range of extension services to increase knowledge and management of on-farm water resulting in improved water use efficiency in irrigated agriculture in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin.

Irrigators within the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin will have the knowledge and skills to assess the cost-benefit of investing in water use efficiency technologies. Those investing in these technologies will have increased returns per megalitre of irrigation water within two years of investment.

The project team will assist irrigators assess the water use efficiency (WUE) of their existing irrigation systems and ascertain the cost-benefit of investing in one or more of the available WUE technologies and management practices. This will be achieved by:

• assessing the cost-benefit of investment in WUE technologies on case study farms where WUE technologies have been implemented
• communicating these cost-benefits through case studies and field days
• publishing WUE technical information products
• assisting irrigators assess the performance of their irrigation systems
• delivering training in overhead irrigation systems, storage management, WUE investment and agronomic practices to achieve high returns per ML
• providing advice to irrigators considering participation in the HHWUE.

Irrigation district advisory committees for the project will be established in the Border Rivers and St George/Lower Balonne to provide direction for the project at the local level.

The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation will work with irrigators and commercial firms to encourage the delivery and use of services that will assist irrigators assess the performance of their existing systems and infrastructure.

Training workshops and field days to be delivered under this project include the:

• Centre Pivot and Lateral Move national training course (through Growcom)
• Cotton and grains irrigation workshop series
• Centre Pivot and Lateral Move system evaluation
• WUE investment decision tool

A centre pivot and lateral move DVD will be produced which details the engineering and agronomic considerations in investing in this technology, together with interviews with irrigators who have already made the investment.

• Graham Harris, principal development extension officer, Toowoomba
• Simon Vriesema, research scientist (programmer), Toowoomba
• Mark Hickman, principal development extension officer, Toowoomba
• Dr Jose Payero, principal research scientist (irrigation), Toowoomba

The Australian Government through the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management

Growcom

Queensland Murray Darling:

• Goondiwindi (Border Rivers)
• St George (Dirranbandi and St George)
• Toowoomba (Darling Downs)