12
Farming
www.guardianonline.co.nz
A dry winter would be a worry Tony Davoren
HYDRO SERVICES
Just as I decide on a theme for an article this month after a beautiful spell of weather – it rains! A relatively dry autumn always gets me thinking about the next irrigation season and the need to get some storage into the groundwater system. Can’t take credit for the rainfall today but it is very welcome. As we came toward the end of May my mind turns to the next irrigation season. Paranoia you ask? Sort of, but with a relatively dry autumn and winter just around the corner it is hard not to think of what needs to be done in preparation for September (potentially). There is regular maintenance of irrigators, bores and pumps, and plenty
of other little tasks. I think of the resource we utilise throughout Canterbury, especially groundwater. Taking a look at the observation bore L37/0022 in Mid Canterbury water level has recovered a little since irrigation “stopped” in early autumn. To date much of the recovery in water level has been the effect of everyone turning off – probably all the arable farmers in late February-March and then pasture irrigation later in April. Water levels did reach that point when some significant recharge was going to be
required before the next irrigation season. While we’ve been there before and water levels (and therefore reliable supply) have come right – the thought of a below average rainfall winter is always and should be a concern. How did we get there? It is a combination of insufficient rainfall recharge over last winter and irrigation abstraction. To date this year there has only been one month (April) when there has been above average rainfall. The 90mm for the month will have resulted in some recharge from irrigated
We supply, calibrate and service
land, there will have been zero recharge from dryland areas because the soil moisture deficit would have been much greater than 90mm. But just as I decided what to write about this month – wham it rains and in “buckets”. As of 9am this morning (June 1) a reliable source of rainfall in Mid Canterbury reported to me 65mm and still counting! Perfect I say – this will result in a decent recharge event. Imagine how much water could end up in the groundwater from the 186,500 odd hectares of groundwater
zones between Rangitata and Rakaia Rivers if say 40mm was to end up as recharge – a staggering 74.6 Mm3. Now that would give us a real boost to groundwater for the next irrigation season – and that would be just a start and allay some of my concerns that prompted this article. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the author and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of the Ashburton Guardian Co Ltd or any employee thereof
Sema Great Quality and Great Value
Distributers and servicing agents for
Ltd.
Pulsation Testers and associated equipment
Great Quality and Great Value
COMPLETE RANGE OF VARIABLE SPEED MILK, WATER, EFFLUENT AND VACUUM PUMP CONTROLLERS Complete range of Variable speed Milk, Water, Effluent and Vacuum Pump controllers • Designed, manufactured, serviced and supported right here in New Zealand
For your complete
Designed, manufactured serviced and supported right New Zealand • Best in here theinindustry
Best in the Industry 3 Year warranty
• 3 year warranty
Fully waterproof
• Fully waterproof
Designed to cope with bad power
• Designed to cope with bad
power Talk is cheap, if you would like to know how good they really are Just ask somebody who owns one! • Talk is cheap, if you would like
Build, Alteration or Renovation and Repairs We supply, calibrate and service
QUALIFIED TRADESMEN
Sema
(Licensed Building Practitioners) i
Pulsation Testers and associated equipment
to know how good they really are, just ask somebody who owns one!
Distributers and servicing agents for
We supply, calibrate and service
Ltd.
Great Quality and Great Value
Pulsation Testers and associated equipment
Se
Great Qual
Complete range of Variable speed Milk, Water, Effluent and Vacuum Pump controllers Sema Limited Complete range of Variable speed Milk, Phone: 09 358 0700 Email: info@sema.co.nz www.sema.co.nz
Designed, manufactured serviced and supported right here in New Zealand
Best in the Industry 3 Year warranty
Designed, manufactured serviced and supported rig
Best in the Industry 3 Year warranty