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• Water Matters - Issue 8 (PDF - 392 KB)

Irrigation in Australia – Investing for a drier future

Irrigation delivers substantial benefits to Australian communities and the national economy, providing food and fibre for the nation and for export. The gross value of irrigated agriculture production was more than $12.3 billion in 2006-07 (ABS 2008).

The Murray-Darling Basin accounts for around 70 per cent of all water used for agricultural purposes and around 40 per cent of gross agricultural production. It is one of Australia’s most important social, economic and environmental resources, covering an area 1000km wide and 1450km long. More than three million Australians living within and outside the Basin including the capital cities of Adelaide and Canberra, are directly dependent on its water (ABS 2008, ABARE 2009).

Though it receives on average only 6 per cent of Australia’s annual rainfall, the Basin makes up around 65 per cent of the total agricultural land under irrigation in Australia (ABS 2008, ABARE 2009). 

The volume of water that leaks out of irrigation systems or is lost to evaporation is about the same as all our major capital cities consume. Climate change is forecast to reduce water availability, making it imperative that we do more with the water that is available.

Through its Water for the Future initiative the Australian Government is investing $5.8 billion to help irrigators upgrade and modernise their water infrastructure to improve the efficiency of water use. This will benefit irrigators and provide additional water to restore and protect the ecological health of the Basin.

Irrigated water most commonly comes from surface water drawn from rivers, lakes, dams and weirs. Other sources include groundwater, most commonly used in South Australia and the Northern Territory, mains supply, and recycled and treated water (ABS 2008).

Surface irrigation has traditionally been the most popular method of irrigating, but in recent years producers have begun turning towards new methods to reduce water loss occurring through leakage and evaporation.

Conversion to more modern and efficient irrigation infrastructure can require significant financial investments, and so the Australian Government is providing funding incentives to accelerate the uptake of water efficient technologies. For its investment in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Australian Government will acquire water savings to return to the environment to improve the health of river systems over the long-term.

Tailored specifically to South Australia, the Private Irrigation Infrastructure Program - South Australia (PIIP-SA) recognises that approximately half of River Murray system irrigation water in that state, is extracted by direct diverters. To account for this, funding is open to three categories of applicants: Irrigation Infrastructure Operators; Delivery Partners on behalf of an individual irrigator or groups of individual irrigators; and individual irrigators who hold permanent entitlements of 500 megalitres or more.

Applications for funding under this program can be made until 8 April. (See page one for details of where to find more information.)

The Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program (PIIOP) for New South Wales is funding projects that will generate savings allowing private irrigation infrastructure operators and their customers to minimise water losses and manage water allocations more efficiently. The Australian Government will acquire entitlement to at least half of the water savings these projects generate, to add to the Commonwealth’s environmental water holdings.

The Australian Government is also investing in the assessment of ‘hotspots’ which use a consistent and science-based approach to identify the nature, location and amount of water losses in existing channel and piped irrigation delivery systems. The hotspots assessment technical manual, an approach developed by the CSIRO, helps irrigation infrastructure operators to understand the worst losses in their delivery system and thus supports planning the modernising of their water delivery infrastructure.

The On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program aims to help irrigators, through program delivery partners, in the Lachlan and southern-connected system of the Murray-Darling Basin, to modernise their infrastructure, generating water savings for irrigators and entitlements for the Commonwealth’s environmental water holdings.

Another component of the drive to improve irrigation efficiency is the Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance (IMPA) program. This program, which commenced in advance of the funding incentives for infrastructure investment, was a key step to assist irrigation water providers assess options to adapt to a future with less water and consult with their customers in developing comprehensive plans for improving irrigation efficiency. 

Thirteen projects in NSW, QLD, SA and Vic valued at more than $4 million commenced under IMPA Round 1 in mid-2008. An additional four projects valued at $560,000 were approved in Round 2 in mid-2009. A third round of funding worth $2 million was announced last October and is open until 2012, or until funding is fully committed.

On 3 July 2008, the Australian and state governments finalised the Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform to secure a sustainable future for the Murray-Darling Basin. The Australian Government has agreed in principle to provide close to $3.7 billion for significant state-based water infrastructure and reform projects in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.  These State Priority Projects are subject to a Commonwealth due diligence assessment of the social, economic, environmental, financial and technical aspects of the projects.

Several State Priority Projects, administered by a state or territory and supported by Commonwealth funding, have commenced.

More information about the Australian Government’s investment in irrigation can be found at www.environment.gov.au/water/programs

*References can be found at the end of this document.

Broken Hill Managed Aquifer Recharge project

An airborne electro-magnetic survey, borehole drilling and hydrogeochemical tests are all part of a day’s work in identifying a potentially new sustainable water supply for Broken Hill.

Geoscience Australia is using these science methods in an innovative way to study groundwater resources and aquifer storage options to meet the town’s water needs. It also has the potential to allow water lost to evaporation from Menindee Lakes to be returned to the environment.

It’s the first time anyone has investigated managed aquifer recharge in such detail for the region. These investigations will help the Australian Government determine a way forward to deliver its $400 million commitment for Menindee Lakes.

Using aquifers for water storage involves using surface waters to replenish naturally occurring underground aquifers. Injection bores and infiltration basins also help with replenishment.

Storing large quantities of water in aquifers has an advantage over traditional surface water reservoirs because it largely eliminates evaporation.

The first stage of the project, which involved a risk assessment and on-ground investigations delivered positive findings and showed good potential for combining groundwater extraction and managed aquifer recharge at Menindee Lakes.

The next phase currently underway involves an airborne electro-magnetic survey, drilling and pump testing, water sampling, and a light detection and ranging survey (also known as LiDAR). This data will be used to identify the available aquifers and possible sites where managed aquifer recharge may be implemented.

If the findings show sustainable groundwater resources and a practicable aquifer storage system, a more detailed geological and engineering assessment will fully test this new approach.

A video of the airborne electro-magnetic survey can be viewed at: www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/action/video-broken-hill-aquifer-recharge.html

More information on the project is available at: www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/srwui/menindee-lakes/index.html

Minister releases Tasmania Sustainable Yields report

A major CSIRO report into future water availability in Tasmania has found the island state is likely to experience reduced rainfall and runoff as a result of climate change but the impacts will be less severe than in other parts of south-eastern Australia.

Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong released the report in Hobart in early January.

The report of the Tasmania Sustainable Yields Project is the culmination of 18 months’ work undertaken in cooperation with State government agencies and provides the most comprehensive assessment of water availability ever undertaken for Tasmania.

The project, which received $4.2 million from the Australian Government through its Water for the Future initiative, looked at water availability across almost 50,000sq km of northern, eastern and central Tasmania.

Climate change is expected to reduce rainfall and runoff in Tasmania by 2030, the report found. The projected impact on rainfall will be a 3 per cent reduction under a median future climate, ranging from a one per cent increase to a 7 per cent decrease under wet and dry extremes.

Lower rainfall will reduce runoff by 5 per cent under a median climate, ranging from a 1 per cent increase to a 10 per cent decrease under wet and dry extremes. (For report highlights, see key findings.)

Senator Wong released the report at the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Laboratories in Hobart on 18 January 2010 with Tasmanian Primary Industries and Water Minister Mr David Llewellyn.

Project leader, Dr David Post of the CSIRO, explained the findings at a presentation for about 90 people from government agencies, industry, universities and other members of the community with an interest in water management in Tasmania.

Senator Wong said the Australian Government was working with all States and Territories to prepare for the future impacts of climate change, including reduced water availability.

“The project findings will provide critical information needed to underpin statutory water management planning in Tasmania and to assist in developing proposals for a sustainable irrigation industry,” Senator Wong said.

The report is the third in a series of CSIRO studies commissioned by the Australian Government to provide the best available science to underpin policy decisions about future management.

The project examined the projected impacts of catchment development, changing groundwater extraction, climate variability and expected climate change on the availability and use of water resources at a whole-of-region scale, considering both groundwater and surface water systems.

As surface water and groundwater extractions are not metered in a consistent way in Tasmania, the project used a comprehensive suite of river models to assess water movement and use in the project area. Three models covering key groundwater areas were also used, along with flow stress rankings to determine the potential ecological impacts of changes in stream flow on sub-catchments and 150 key ecological sites.

The findings provide critical information for water managers and will help in developing sustainable irrigation proposals for Tasmania.

“It is the first time that there has been this type of investigation into whether there is enough water to meet the demands of irrigation proposals in Tasmania to help meet Australia’s growing demand for food,” Dr Post said.

“This is an opportunity to avoid development mistakes by starting with sound knowledge of water availability to underpin any future development decisions.”

Summer rains provide environmental flows for the Lower Lakes

The risk of the internationally significant Lower Lakes acidifying has eased after heavy summer rains in northern NSW provided enough water for significant environmental flows to the parched South Australian wetlands.

The Australian Government and southern Basin States agreed earlier this month to allow 148 billion litres (148 gigalitres) of water from the flooding to make its way to the Ramsar-listed Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland Complex near the mouth of the Murray River. This includes 48 billion litres from allocations to the The Living Murray initiative.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) also decided to provide an additional 20 GL from holdings obtained through the Australian Government’s $3.1 billion water purchasing program.

When added to South Australia’s commitment of 170 GL, it brings the total environmental water for the Lower Lakes to almost 340 GL.

This water is expected to be delivered over six months, providing habitat for waterbirds and fish. The volume is sufficient to ease the risk of acidification of the Lower Lakes.

Other benefits of the environmental watering, which should commence as early as March, are improved water quality and reducing the threat of further riverbank slumping.

The CEWH has also agreed to allocate a further 26.2 GL of environmental water to three sites in South Australia and two sites in Victoria.

Two wetlands on Chowilla Floodplain, SA, will receive 8.2 GL, while Katarapko Wetlands, SA, will receive 20 ML. Both Chowilla and Katarapko received Commonwealth environmental water in autumn last year and this further watering will provide additional critical drought refuges and habitats for a variety of species, including the nationally threatened southern bell frog (also known as the growling grass frog) and regent parrot. This watering also aims to avoid further loss of mature river red gums and other floodplain vegetation, including black box woodlands and lignum.

Hattah Lakes in Victoria will receive 6 GL. These lakes received Commonwealth water on two occasions last year, once in Autumn, the other in Spring. This water will be supplemented by the addition of 5 GL from The Living Murray program.

Lake Wallawalla, 85 km west of Mildura in Victoria will receive 12 GL of Commonwealth environmental water, a first for this particular site. Watering is aimed at restoring a diverse habitat which in turn provides drought refuge to a range of waterbirds and other water-dependant species. In addition, the white-bellied sea eagle, identified as rare in Victoria as well as being listed on the China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) has used the area for seasonal breeding. Conservation of severely stressed river red gums, which provide critical habitat for the regent parrot, and black box woodlands that fringe the lake are also identified as potentially receiving benefit from this watering.

More information about the Australian Government’s environmental watering program can be found at:
www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/environment/index.html

Raising the stakes in stakeholder engagement

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts held 11 community information sessions throughout the Murray-Darling Basin from October to December 2009 aimed at improving community understanding of the Water for the Future initiative.

All sessions were attended by senior managers in the Water Group able to talk with authority on programs and policies they directly manage. The events were also supported by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Centrelink, and State Government agencies involved with water.

The sessions appear to have been of value to attendees with most indicating they had improved their understanding of water reform policies and programs, would attend other sessions in the future, and they would recommend the sessions to friends and contacts.

Attendees indicated they appreciated the chance to speak directly with senior managers about issues of concern and felt they had an opportunity to raise any questions.

A total of 559 people attended the events, most were farmers involved in irrigated and non-irrigated agriculture.

Information about these “town-hall” meetings was disseminated through a number of means including ads in local and major rural newspapers and invitations to major stakeholder groups such as catchment management authorities, peak industry grower groups, as well as community organisations such as Lions and Rotary.

People were also encouraged to invite their friends or contacts.

The events all followed a similar format - a short presentation followed by an open question and answer session and then a series of concurrent break-out topical discussion groups.

This format proved to be very successful as it allowed participants to interact with presenters to get more in-depth information on topics they were most interested in.

Break-out discussion sessions covered water purchasing, infrastructure upgrades, and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

All participants were requested to complete a feedback form at the end of the sessions for evaluation purposes. Ninety-two per cent of respondents said the sessions had improved their understanding “somewhat” or “a lot” about Australian Government water reform.

The department also benefited from being able to engage community members directly and to get first hand feedback about how people felt about Water for the Future policies and programs.

Communities actively working to secure their water - Strengthening Basin Communities

More than two million people live within the Murray-Darling Basin, accounting for around 10 per cent of Australia’s population, according to the ABS 2006 Census of Population and Housing. The Murray-Darling Basin’s 11 largest urban centres hold a combined population of more than 830,000 people (ABS 2008).

Throughout the Murray-Darling Basin communities are facing a future with less water. To help communities address this challenge, the Australian Government has committed $200 million to the Strengthening Basin Communities program, which supports projects that improve urban water security and reduce demand on potable supplies.

The planning component of the program aims to help communities in the Murray-Darling Basin develop a plan for a future with less water. In November 2009, 37 successful projects were announced under the planning component.

Two of the projects receiving funding are ‘Change Management Planning for Climate Variability in the Namoi Catchment’ and ‘A Conceptual Model of Groundwater in the Mansfield Shire’.

The second component under the Strengthening Basin Communities program supports local government bodies and urban water service providers to implement water saving initiatives that improve urban water security by reducing demand on potable water supplies.

There are two funding rounds for the water savings initiatives component. The first round closed on Friday 6 November 2009 and applications are being assessed.  A second round will be conducted in 2010-11 to enable local governments to apply for funding for water saving measures developed through the planning component.

For more information about the Strengthening Basin Communities program, phone 1800 218 478 (toll free) or email SBC@environment.gov.au.

*References can be found at the end of this document.

Wetlands Australia Update 2010

Wetlands Australia Update 2010 brings together information and resources from across Australia relating to wetlands conservation, management and education.

To order your own copy or download the magazine, visit; www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/index.html

The following extracts are from this year’s publication.

Understanding aquatic biodiversity in the Lower Gwydir and the flow patterns necessary for its survival

Dr Glenn Wilson, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England

The Lower Gwydir Wetlands in north-west New South Wales are one of the Murray-Darling Basin’s key wetland areas.

Its conservation value is recognised by the number of privately-managed Ramsar sites at the end of the Gingham Watercourse and Lower Gwydir River. With the development of agriculture on the Lower Gwydir floodplain, and pressures from ongoing drought, it is critical to understand the distribution of aquatic biodiversity in this ecosystem, and the flow patterns necessary to maintain such species and populations.

NSW farmers enhance wetlands and production for the long-term

Libby McIntyre and Rodney Price, Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Unit, Industry and Investment NSW

A massive 96 per cent of New South Wales wetlands are located inland, west of the Great Dividing Range, and most are on privately-owned farming land. Since 2007, the Wetlands on Farms project, funded by the Australian and NSW governments, has formulated management plans for 84 680 hectares of the state’s wetlands, collaborating with 52 separate landholders across eight inland catchments.

Each plan contains information about the catchment, regional and local hydrology, flora and fauna found on the property, property infrastructure and tenure, threats to the wetland and finally, actions and goal setting.

Vineyard on the River Murray cares for its Ramsar site

Kate Thorn, Banrock Station Conservation and Wetland Manager

Banrock Station is a former grazing property situated on the banks of the River Murray, about three hours’ drive northeast of Adelaide, South Australia. It was purchased in 1995 at a time when it was suffering from significant overgrazing… It also includes a wetland that for 70 years had been permanently flooded with a largely stable water level due to the adjacent Lock and Weir 3 on the River Murray.

When the region was hit with severe drought, the site managers decided to reinstate a more natural ephemeral hydrological regime and voluntarily dried the wetland and instigated an ongoing wet and dry regime to rehabilitate the area.

References for Irrigation in Australia article

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Year Book Australia 2008, Feature article: Murray-Darling Basin, 2004-2005, Cat. no. 1301.0, viewed 8 January 2010
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/d53408834d6c846fca2573d2001066f3!OpenDocument

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Year Book Australia 2008, Feature article: Irrigation of Australian Farms, Cat. no. 1301.0, viewed 8 January 2010
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/a1372142a0cca480ca2573d200111005!OpenDocument 

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Year Book Australia 2008, Water, Cat. no. 1301.0, viewed 8 January 2010
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/C125801E8E8254DECA2573D200106637?opendocument

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009, Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000–01 to 2006–07, ‘Table 9: ‘Australia - Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000–01 to 2006–07’, data cube: Excel spreadsheet, Cat. no. 4610.0.55.008
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4610.0.55.0082000-01%20to%202006-07?OpenDocument

Ashton, D, Hooper, S, Oliver, M 2009, ‘An economic survey of irrigation farms in the Murray-Darling Basin: Industry overview and region profiles 2007-08’, ABARE Research report 09.21, pp. i – 14, ABARE, Canberra.

Reference for Communities actively working to secure their water

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Water in the Murray-Darling Basin - A statistical profile 2000-01 to 2005-06: Chapter two - people in the Murray-Darling Basin, Cat. no. 4610.0.55.007, viewed 15 January 2010
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4610.0.55.0072000-01%20to%202005-06?OpenDocument

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