Irrigation Journal Winter 2021

WINTER 2021 • VOLUME 37 NO 02

FEATURE Rainwater harvesting

Drip irrigation design and management in production nurseries

ISSN 0818–9447

35th anniversary for Australia’s first CIDs

IN THIS ISSUE: NATIONAL WATER GRID AUTHORITY EXPLAINED METER UPDATE CONTRACTORS CORNER: PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE KEY TO GROWTH

RURAL Combining technology and human knowledge to improve irrigation

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CONTENTS FEATURES RURAL IRRIGATION INNOVATION FEATURE The National Water Grid Authority explained

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Historic farm modernises irrigation system

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Off-farm projects to replace water buybacks: The Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package 20 GOOD IRRIGATION PRACTICE FEATURE

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System test: an important part of commissioning and handover 24 Drip irrigation design and management in production nurseries 26 RAINWATER HARVESTING FEATURE Managing water in Greater Sydney: Future scenarios

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Sustainability house shows benefits of rainwater capture 30 FEATURE ARTICLES Study finds link between climate change and river flow worldwide 29 Water authorities deal with asbestos-cement pipe legacy 44 A method for comparing dripper performance

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REGULAR ITEMS Chairman's Message

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From the CEO

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Technology: Rural

6

Technology: Urban

10

Research 12 IAL News

32

Professional Development

38

Contractors' Corner

41

The Big Issue

42

Around Industry

43

State Roundup

46

Business Feature

51

New Products

52

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ON THE FRONT COVER: A submersible pump and discharge being installed as part of the upgrading of an irrigaiotn system in rural Tasmania. Photo: Jason Woodham, Irrigation & Dairy Solutions

32 AUTUMN 2021

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Make the most out of your Irrigation Australia membership Membership benefits available to you are 1.

Irrigation Journal Copies Receive four copies of the only national Irrigation Journal per annum. Each journal contains valuable industry information about new projects, technologies and techniques for Agriculture, Landscape & Domestic Irrigation 2. National Irrigation Directory Receive a digital copy of the only national and comprehensive Irrigation Directory. Find details about irrigation shops, manufacturers, installers, contractors, certified professionals and more.

3. Training Discounts Receive significant member discounts on nationally accredited irrigation training and qualifications delivered by Irrigation Australia in major cities and regional towns.

4. Certification Discounts Receive significant member discounts on the joining fee and renewal fee to the Certification Program administered by Irrigation Australia.

6. Members Only Portal Gain access to the members only portal on the Irrigation Australia website. Through the portal you can manage your Irrigation Australia membership, access members only documents, presentations and other materials.

7.

Access to eKnowledge Irrigation Australia eKnowledge repository has vast resources of technical papers, conference papers, Irrigation Journals and FAQ’s available only for Members.

8. Discounts on Publications and Merchandise Irrigation Australia offers a wide range of books, eBooks and other merchandise through its online store. Members receive significant discounts on materials.

9. Invitations to Regional Meetings & Events Irrigation Australia hosts a number of regional meetings, events and site visits across Australia.

This is a great opportunity for members and industry colleagues to come together to discuss new challenges, technologies and network.

Certification is a voluntary, national program of industry recognition. Certification adds instant credibility with customers, increases job opportunities and demonstrates your commitment to efficient water management. Visit our website to learn more www.irrigationaustralia.com.au 5. Conference & Tradeshow Discounts Member discounts on attending and exhibiting at the Irrigation Australia Biennial International Conference & Exhibition.

11. International Representation Be part of the global irrigation community and gain access to international contacts via the Irrigation membership of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID).

12. Discounts on Waterwise endorsement Receive significant member discounts on the Waterwise endorsement programs, relevant for domestic irrigation contractors, installers, landscapers and retailers. Benefit from Waterwise marketing and merchandise to promote yourself as a Waterwise irrigation professional to the community.

See www.waterwiseprograms.com.au for more information.

Additional Membership Benefits (EXCLUDES PRIMARY PRODUCERS, INDIVIDUALS & RETIRED MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY) 13. Free Listing in the National Irrigation Directory List your business or organisation for free in the digital National Irrigation Directory reaching the wider irrigation industry.

14. Free Online Job Listing List your upcoming job vacancies on Irrigation Australia’s online job board which attracts significant targeted views every month.

10. Monthly Electronic IrriNews Newsletter Receive our monthly Irrigation Newsletter with the latest information on upcoming training, events as well as new products, information and industry news.

15. Free Listing on Irrigation Australia’s Website List your business on Irrigation Australia’s Website Directory which attracts significant page views every month.

16. Journal Advertisement Discounts Receive significant discounts on advertising in the Irrigation Journal. Circulation is more than 2000 copies per quarter.

11/58 Metroplex Avenue, Murarrie Qld 4172 | 1300 949 891 | info@irrigation.org.au | irrigationaustralia.com.au

WELCOME

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE As we approach the annual AGM and board director election cycle, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss a situation that my fellow directors and I find puzzling. I refer to the lack of interest from females in our industry in participating on the Irrigation Australia board.

Irrigation Australia has not had a female director or nomination since life member Kathyrn Eden retired from the board in 2017. In fact, since the merger of ANCID with the Irrigation Association of Australia (IAA) in 2007, 38 people have had the privilege of serving on the Irrigation Australia board and only four of these have been female - just over 10 per cent.

I don’t believe this situation is representative of the significant role that women have in the irrigation sector. There are many examples of outstanding women leading irrigation companies, manufacturing organisations and irrigator groups. And away from Australia, the CEOs of our equivalent irrigation organisations in both the USA and New Zealand are both female.

So, this begs the question why there has been an almost total lack

of interest from women wanting to join the Irrigation Australia board?

There may be underlying reasons why this has been the case, and this is a conversation that we would like to have before the next director nominations close in September 2021.

Our objective as an organisation should be to remove any obstacles to participation and ensure that both men and women see the opportunity to represent the peak irrigation association and its members as an appealing and worthwhile endeavour.

Irrigation Australia is an equal opportunity employer, and we would like to think that the National Board of our industry organisation provides a similar level of opportunity to all.

Plans are in place to hold a ‘Women in Irrigation’ forum at the Irrigation Australia conference in June 2022 in Adelaide and this presents a great opportunity to celebrate the important role that women have in the irrigation industry.

As nominations for the 2021-22 board open in August 2021, I would like to extend an invitation for potential candidates to contact me if they have an interest in standing

Check out Irrigation Australia's social media feeds.

for the board. I would be pleased to provide an overview of the role and responsibilities of Irrigation Australia directors. Alternatively, candidates can contact Christine Delphin, our company secretary at our Brisbane office, and she can provide an information pack.

As always, if there are more nominations than vacant positions for the board then an election will be held to determine the new representatives for the coming year. There is no doubt that within our membership in Australia there are many outstanding candidates, and I encourage all interested members to participate!

Andrew Ogden Chairman

www.facebook.com/irrigationaustralia www.instagram.com/irrigationaustralia @IrrigationAUS www.linkedin.com/company/irrigation-australia-limited www.youtube.com/user/IrrigAust

AUTUMN 2021

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WELCOME

FROM THE CEO As all readers are aware, organisation of the Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition and ICID 24th International Congress has been disrupted several times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, we are forced to announce a further change for this event.

Our government recently advised that international flights into Australia are unlikely to resume until the second half of 2022 and, with our event scheduled for May-June, this presented an unacceptable risk. We remain committed to our decision to hold this international event in a responsible and safe way, so we have, once again, changed the event dates to October 2022 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The Irrigation Australia conference and exhibition will run from Wednesday 5 October to Friday 7 October and the ICID International Congress will be held from 3 to 9 October. We are more optimistic that by then the global vaccination program will be much advanced and international flights will have resumed. We thank our exhibitors and sponsors for their incredible patience and understanding during these difficult times but remain confident that this flagship event for the irrigation industry will eventually be held and will be well supported by the irrigation industry.

As details and presentations are confirmed, we will be updating the

conference and exhibition and congress website.

Before this event we have the Waterwise Expo to be held at the Crown Perth Conference Centre on August 25 this year. The response from exhibitors has been remarkable

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and bookings for the exhibition have exceeded our expectations.

Both events provide a great opportunity for the irrigation sector to reunite after a complete absence of events since our 2018 event in Sydney.

We are making sure that there will be excellent opportunities at both events for delegates to acquaint themselves with the latest trends in irrigation technology, to learn from industry experts and, importantly, to catch up with friends and colleagues in the industry.

In the last edition of Irrigation Australia, I reported on a story about a trade qualification for irrigation, the information for which came from some historical documents provided by life member Sid Dyer. I later decided to dig a little deeper into Sid’s treasure chest and came across the minutes of the very first general meeting of the Irrigation Association of Australia.

This meeting took place at the Dubbo RSL on 25 February 1983, and I thought members might be interested to know what their objectives were when forming the association. IAA Chair Dr Hugh Barrett reported that the response to the formation of the association had been beyond its highest expectations and its success depended on everyone who had anything to do with the irrigation industry being a member from the manufacturer right down to the farmer.

He noted that “one of the basic aims of the association is to provide a forum for the irrigation industry and create a flow of ideas between all levels”.

It is very satisfying to note that this vision for an irrigation association has been successfully met, with current

members representing the diversity of our irrigation industry, and this very publication is just one example of how we provide a forum for the industry.

It is this diversity of experience in industry representation that the federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment relied upon when recently asking Irrigation Australia to prepare a proposal for a scoping study into irrigation modernisation in the Subarnarekha Region in India. Obviously, with the dire COVID-19 situation in India, this will be a desktop review and will rely on gathering information from the Central Water Commission in India. This project is like one undertaken for the department in Lombok, Indonesia in 2019.

Finally, Irrigation Australia is a member-based organisation so our highest priority is to provide you with the services and information and that are important to you. One of the ways we do this is by asking for your feedback.

Consequently, we are resuming our annual member survey and members will receive a link to complete it in the next few weeks. We encourage you to take the few minutes needed to respond as your answers assist the Irrigation Australia Board to guide the future direction of the association.

Stay safe and well.

Bryan Ward CEO

INTERNATIONAL

CONGRESS 73rd IEC MEETING 30 MAY - 6 JUNE 2022

ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

INTERNATIONAL

CONGRESS 73rd IEC MEETING 3RD OCT - 10TH OCT 2022

ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

&

Irrigation Australia is proud to join with the International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage (ICID) for their 24th International Congress & 73rd IEC Meeting and we look forward to welcoming delegates from around the world to Australia in 2022 for this international conference on irrigation and drainage.

Why attend?

• Visit the exhibition and meet with the industry leading suppliers of irrigation & water management technologies.

• Hear from the leading researchers and experts in the field of irrigated agriculture and drainage.

• Build strong relationships with industry suppliers and professionals.

5TH OCT TO 7 TH OCT 2022

Event Supporter

Why exhibit?

The combined 2022 Irrigation Australia and International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage (ICID) conference and exhibition will bring people from up to 78 countries representing 90% of all irrigated land, to Adelaide in 2022 – can you afford not to be there?

ICID Conference Theme

Meet People From

Innovative Research in Agriculture Water Management to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals Horticulture

Irrigation Australia Conference Theme

Industrial & Waste Water Sports, Turf & Landscape

Irrigation for the Future – Challenges, Innovations and Opportunities

Agriculture

• The Conference Organisers now invite speakers to submit an abstract for consideration at either the International Congress or the Irrigation Australia Conference. Visit the event website at www.icid2022.com.au for further information.

Expected Participation

1500+

Conference Delegates

2000+

General enquiries please contact:

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.icid2022.com.au

ENCANTA: P +61 8 9389 1488 E events@encanta.com.au

Irrigation Australia: P 1300 949 891 E info@irrigation.org.au

Exhibition Visitors

TECHNOLOGY: RURAL COMBINING TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE IRRIGATION SNAPSHOT • While data from computers and loggers help with decision making to do with irrigation, it is important to know what data is required and that more data is not necessarily better • Human input is crucial to interpret data and manage the many factors in growing crops • Carrot seed producers in Tasmania were having problems with scheduling irrigation. Looking beyond the data from soil moisture probes led to the discovery that soil crusting and hydrophobicity were the causes of the problem • The solution was to change the irrigation schedule and to reduce the amount of tillage

With technology now at a stage where computers and loggers can collect seemingly endless amounts of data, it is tempting to leave decision-making to artificial intelligence or a software program. There is no doubt that technology can help growers optimise irrigation and fertiliser application, but it is important to be aware that having more data is not necessarily better – and machines cannot yet give us all the answers. In this article, Reuben Wells and Marek Matuszek from Ag Logic in Tasmania explain why human expertise is still needed to underpin decisionmaking on farm.

The role of precision agriculture consultants Ag Logic is a precision agriculture business in northern Tasmania. Director Reuben Wells describes his company as a bridge between farmers and technology: “I think there’s a misconception in some circles that farmers need more data to make better decisions,” Reuben says, “but farmers are already busy enough without having to spend time interpreting data. What they really need is to efficiently get to the core of what the data means for them.”

While ample technology is available these days, Reuben believes that a few obstacles often stop farmers from taking full advantage of it: “Computer models make assumptions, which are not always correct – for example, plant growth stages don't necessarily follow textbook patterns. Also, there are many variables that are not accounted for by the models, like pollination time in seed crops and soil infiltration. So, we still need to check the assumptions of the models. Often technology does a poor job simply because people don’t understand its limitations and how it can be used.”

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Carrot seed crops: A case study Marek Matuszek, who runs the soil moisture side of Ag Logic, talks about the importance of human input when it comes to interpreting data from moisture probes., “When people come to me saying that the probes aren’t telling them what they expected to see, I know that the probes are probably working OK – there’s usually something else going on,” he explained.

In 2018, when local growers reported that moisture probes weren’t working in their carrot seed crops, Marek investigated. He found that they were working, but despite regular irrigation, just beneath the surface, the soil was dry.

Two issues were causing this: hydrophobicity, especially in sandier soils, and most importantly, soil crusting.

Infiltration the problem. Carrot seed production is a big industry in northern Tasmania. The seed is planted in autumn in raised beds, with the soil worked up to a fine tilth. The plants are still small at the start of winter. Growth happens in spring, and the seed is harvested in late summer. The problem, Marek explained, is the tillage required for raised beds: “Bed-forming essentially degrades the soil structure, which means infiltration becomes a problem. We looked at the sites and dug holes to see what was going on and found that the soil was only wet in low-lying areas of the paddocks.

In higher areas it was just running off.

Carrot seed crops are big business in northern Tasmania

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TECHNOLOGY: RURAL “Between April and October, the plants are still small, which means the soil surface is exposed to the elements.

The soil is already damaged by tilling, and exposure to the elements further breaks down the structure. Then it’s baked by the sun and you get a seal over the top. When irrigation starts in spring, the large droplets from the centre pivot cause even more damage.”

With the infiltration rate lower than the application rate, the water runs off.

Timing of irrigation and reducing tillage the solution.

When it comes to irrigation practices, Marek says that the problem is two-fold. First, farmers often start watering well after the end of winter once the soil has started drying out and a crust is forming; this is too late.

Second, not only is much of the water running off, but many farmers aren’t aware of the extent of root depth and architecture and so underestimate how much water the crop needs. By the time the plants are only 10 to 20 cm tall the roots may go down to 60 or 70 cm. The perfect time for the plant to push the roots down is early spring when the soil is warming up but still wet from the winter rain. At this time, the soil moisture demand increases rapidly.

“Carrot seed plants need a lot of water,” Marek explained, “and irrigation is not just about trying to match water demand in any given week, but to catch up and to fill up the profile before flowering. The timing is particularly important in seed crops. You don’t want to be watering during pollination in January and February because pollen is washed off the flowers. Also, of course, water deters bees.

At the same time, water stress can reduce nectar flow, so it is a balancing act.”

Marek found that if farmers start irrigating towards the end of winter when the soil is still wet, it is not only possible to keep up with the crop’s water demand but also to avoid crusting. Similarly, and completely counterintuitively, Marek found that after a rain event is an optimal time to irrigate, because the rain breaks down the crust and reduces hydrophobicity. Later in the season, once the canopy closes, crusting is no longer a problem.

Other aspects of irrigation can be tweaked, too. Marek described one particularly challenging paddock: “It was undulating and the water was running off. The farmer was doing a 10 mm application every rotation. He changed this to 5 mm each rotation and went around twice instead of once. This helped, because the first application wetted up the soil and more of the second application was able to infiltrate.”

As well as timing of irrigation, adapting soil management practices can help. Marek’s conversations with growers revealed that they use raised beds to prevent wet feet. But Marek questioned whether this was necessary on sloping land. He advised farmers to restrict the use of raised beds to wet, low-lying areas and places with heavy soils, and to

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Crusting on the exposed soil surface prevents infiltration

stop using them on lighter soils and slopes. This change, together with changes to the timing of irrigation, eliminated the crusting problem.

The outcome. Before 2018, more than half of the carrot seed crops that Marek encountered suffered from infiltration problems. In subsequent years, after implementing these simple changes, this issue was completely resolved in all paddocks.

There’s still a place for humans Technology can help farmers improve productivity, but often human input is needed too. “Nobody wants more moisture data,” Reuben says, “People want faster, better decisions.”

A probe can indicate that the soil is dry, but technology alone can’t tell you why, nor can it suggest solutions. Human expertise and local knowledge are still crucial when it comes to helping farmers make these decisions.

Eve White, White Editing

THE EIGHT PILLARS OF AGTECH The evolution of AgTech has not been straightforward, with both farmers and AgTech companies having to work through many challenges over the years. But AgTech is now reaching a level of digital maturity that is seeing it deliver tangible improvements to operations, productivity and profitability.

Based on their own experience, Wes Lawrence of AgTech company AxisTech and Belinda Lay from Coolindown Farms have arrived at an eight-pillar framework to help people understand the different elements, or pillars, of AgTech.

These eight pillars are: 1. Installation. Installation is about identifying the problem that needs solving, understanding where that problem is physically located, and then assessing the environment in which an AgTech solution needs to live.

Installation is affected by many factors such as terrain, infrastructure requirements and environmental exposure.

2. Sensors. Sensors are the measuring component in a device. A device may have one or multiple sensors that may be external or internal. Sensors are important because their quality and function affect the data quality and reliability.

3. Devices. The device manages, controls and powers itself and its sensors and communication modules. It manages sensor readings, packages them into messages and transmits them. Devices can also receive commands and perform functions within their physical, technological and power constraints.

4. Connectivity. Devices in the field need to transmit the data. The best connectivity option depends on where the installation is located relative to the existing or

deployed infrastructure, and usually multiple technologies are involved. Bluetooth/BLE, WIFI, 3G/4G/LTE/Cat-M1/NBIOT/5G cellular, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, ISM radio frequency, UHF, satellite, NBN, fibre, base stations, gateways, modems, last mile and backhaul all fit within this pillar.

5. Data ingestion. Data ingestion is the process of bringing together data from different devices in the field in a central location where it can be analysed. It is useful to consider data ingestion separately to data storage to allow a focus on device messages and how data flows are handled and then become meaningful data.

6. Data storage. Data storage refers to where the data is, who holds it, who owns it, who can access it, and what it is used for. Data storage encompasses concepts and technology such as servers, the cloud, AWS, Azure, SQL, databases, and data historians.

7. On-farm data consumption. On-farm data consumption refers to applications, dashboards and apps used on the farm. This includes consumption of thirdparty data such as satellite imagery, as well vision from drones and cameras. It can be useful for farm managers to understand the different layers of data.

8. Aggregated data consumption. Aggregated consumption is emerging as the new frontier. It refers to data sharing, data hubs, grouped displays, grouped machine learning, and third-party consumption of data for purposes such as traceability and benchmarking.

Acknowledgment. The original version of this article was published on the AxisTech website and Coolingdown website. Accessed 16 April 2021.

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TECHNOLOGY: URBAN IRRIGATION SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE BUSHFIRE PROTECTION FOR HERITAGE BOYD RESIDENCE SNAPSHOT • After being threatened by bushfires last year, historic Bundanon Homestead, which was gifted to the nation in 1993 by artist Arthur Boyd, received funding to install protection

cottages and work on their art, surrounded by the stunning natural scenery that inspired Boyd’s great works. The Trust also hosts a range of concerts, events and regional arts engagement activities.

• Irrigation sprinklers were installed on the homestead roof as well as on the roofs of artists’ cottages and Arthur Boyd’s studio • According to Nutrien Water Bomaderry, which was responsible for design and installation, this type of application of irrigation equipment is becoming more common in the area

As Nutrien Water at Bomaderry has shown recently, the uses for irrigation equipment are not restricted to providing moisture for plants.

According to Nutrien Bomaderry Branch Manager Shaun Sprouster, last year his team turned their hands and minds to designing and installing a system that uses irrigation sprinklers in an ember suppression system at the historic Bundanon Homestead, located on the NSW South Coast. This system will protect this heritage site from future bushfires.

The gift of Bundanon Bundanon is a 1100 ha property and buildings where one of Australia’s best-known artists, Arthur Boyd, lived and worked for many years. In 1993 he gifted the property and a $43 million art collection to the Australian nation.

The heritage-listed site was threatened by the Black Summer bushfires in January 2020, which came within a kilometre of the 1800s sandstone homestead. Thankfully, it and all the outbuildings were saved because of the efforts of local fire crews.

The site holds great historic and natural value, even featuring a heritage-listed Magnolia tree that the Nutrien team took extra care to avoid when installing the ember suppression system.

It is also especially important to the arts community, both local and across Australia. The Bundanon Trust runs tours every Sunday, and artists-in-residence regularly stay in the

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Dual-arm sprinklers were installed on the homestead roof.

Irrigation system installed for fire protection Following the fires and the threat to the property, the Federal and NSW governments committed $300,000 to protect Bundanon through the installation of an ember suppression system.

Bundanon Trust Facilities Manager Josh Turner approached Nutrien Bomaderry, who designed and installed the system across the significant buildings, including Arthur Boyd’s homestead, studio artists-in-residence and musician cottages, and the art collection store.

Work on this multi-stage installation commenced in February 2020, with the installation of roof sprinklers, fire hose reels and ground-based sprinklers which wet down the buildings to prevent embers from taking hold and turning into a fire.

Moss dual-arm sprinklers were used on the roof, chosen for their ability to produce a big “ball” of water that would be more likely to help protect the area in the event of an ember attack. The ground-based sprinklers installed were Pope President brass impact sprinklers, chosen for their radius and large droplet size and because of their brass construction.

The roof sprinklers were connected using copper piping, while the ground sprinklers were installed with poly pipe inground.

The system is powered by a 44 kW diesel pump set that operates independently of mains power supply.

More clients look to irrigation for ember suppression While Nutrien Water’s work typically involves irrigation systems, Shaun said that this kind of project is becoming more common in the area after last summer’s devastating bushfires.

Acknowledgment. This article was supplied by Nutrien Water.

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RESEARCH CAN A DIGITAL CAMERA HELP MONITOR SOIL MOISTURE? SNAPSHOT • Researchers at the University of Adelaide have developed a simple method of monitoring soil moisture, which is cheaper and more accurate than current techniques • The scientists used a standard digital camera and machine learning technology to assess moisture content based on soil colour • The next step is to design a smart irrigation system using a microcontroller, USB camera and water pump that can work with different soil types

Researchers at The University of South Australia recently announced that they have developed a cost-effective technique to monitor soil moisture, using a standard digital camera and machine learning technology. The researchers believe that system holds huge potential as a simple, affordable solution for smart agriculture.

The need for more efficient water use is urgent, with the United Nations predicting that if we continue with our current patterns of water use, by 2050, many parts of the world may not have enough fresh water to meet the demands of agriculture. Irrigation techniques that improve water use efficiency are needed to help address this problem.

Using soil colour to determine soil moisture Precision monitoring of soil moisture can help farmers save water, with sensors guiding smart irrigation systems to ensure water is applied at the optimum time and rate.

But current methods for sensing soil moisture have their limitations: the accuracy of buried sensors can be affected by salts in the substrate and they need specialised hardware for connections. Thermal imaging cameras are expensive, and their function is influenced by weather conditions, such as sunlight intensity, fog and clouds.

Researchers from The University of South Australia and Baghdad’s Middle Technical University, Iraq, have developed a cost-effective alternative that may make precision soil monitoring simple and affordable in almost all situations.

In the future, will irrigators be using a digital camera to monitor soil moisture?

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RESEARCH

The researchers used four scenarios to train the system: (a) sunny conditions and dry soil, (b) sunny conditions and wet soil, (c) cloudy conditions and dry soil, and (d) cloudy conditions and wet soil.

A team including UniSA engineers Dr Ali Al-Naji and Professor Javaan Chahl has successfully tested a system that uses a standard digital camera to accurately monitor soil moisture under a wide range of conditions.

“The system we trialled is simple, robust and affordable, making it promising technology to support precision agriculture,” Dr Al-Naji says.

“It is based on a standard camera, which analyses the differences in soil colour to determine moisture content.

We tested it at different distances, times and illumination levels, and the system was very accurate.”

The camera was connected to an artificial neural network, a form of machine learning software that the researchers trained to recognise different soil moisture levels under sunny and overcast sky conditions. The testing was done on loam soil in an agricultural nursery. Multiple images were taken of the soil under four scenarios: dry soil and full sunlight; wet soil and full sunlight; dry soil and shade; and wet soil and shade. The colour information from the different photographs was used to train the monitoring system.

“Once the network has been trained it should be possible to achieve controlled irrigation by maintaining the appearance of the soil at the desired state,” Prof. Chahl says.

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Next steps Seasonal variations in the direction of the sun may be an issue in larger and longer-term installations, and this is something that the researchers might investigate in future experiments.

Also, the system has only been trained for loam soils and it would probably need to be retrained for other soil types.

Chahl outlines the next steps: “Now that we know the monitoring method is accurate, we are planning to design a cost-effective smart-irrigation system based on our algorithm using a microcontroller, USB camera and water pump that can work with different types of soils.”

An interesting possibility for the future might be to have the system commence operation with a low-cost, possibly wireless, hygrometer. The system could then automatically learn about the appearance of the soil using the hygrometer to provide training feedback. This could enable the system to adapt to any type of soil over time.

Using these techniques, a system could potentially be trained to recognise the specific soil conditions of any location, allowing it to be customised for each user and updated for changing climatic circumstances, ensuing maximum accuracy.

Information. You can access the research paper online.

GLOBAL WATER FACTS AND FIGURES When a region withdraws 25 per cent or more of its renewable freshwater, it is said to experience water scarcity. Water scarcity already affects every continent and is predicted to become an even bigger problem in the future owing to increased water demands and climate change. According to the United Nations : • about 72 per cent of all water withdrawals are used by agriculture, 16 per cent by municipalities for households and services, and 12 per cent by industry (in Australia water use from the 2018-19 Water in Australia report is 70 per cent by agriculture, 20 per cent for urban use and 10 per cent by industry) • more than 2 billion people live in countries with high water stress • around 3.2 billion people – over one-third of the world’s population – live in agricultural areas with high to very high water shortages or scarcity • today, 1.42 billion people, 450 million of whom are children, live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability • about 4 billion people, almost half of the global population, experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year • by 2050, up to 5.7 billion people could live in areas that have potential water scarcity for at least one month each year (about three-quarters of the affected people live in Asia) • by 2030, 700 million people could be displaced by intense water scarcity.

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RURAL IRRIGATION INNOVATION The National Water Grid Authority explained SNAPSHOT • The National Water Grid Authority is working closely with state and territory governments to deliver $3.5 billion in funding for the National Water Grid • Decisions about policy, projects and investments are informed by an independent advisory body and are underpinned by science • Eight water infrastructure projects have already been completed • This is a long-term approach, and the projects are tailored for different regions to improve water security and support agricultural and primary industries and communities

Water supply and security are critical to Australia’s prosperity. This is why, through the National Water Grid Authority, the Australian Government is investing $3.5 billion to deliver the National Water Grid, a series of region-specific water storage and distribution solutions that will secure predictable supplies of water into the future.

The National Water Grid Authority was established in October 2019 to lead a national approach to water infrastructure policy and investment. This national approach will grow regional Australia through supporting the agricultural industry target of a $100 billion sector, building resilience in the south, and growing Northern Australia.

With eight projects already completed, the National Water Grid is beginning to take shape. We know more is needed, however, which is why we have put in place the mechanisms needed to take a strategic long-term view to water infrastructure investment.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP Working closely with the states and territories, the National Water Grid Authority is administering the Australian Government’s 10-year rolling water infrastructure investment program.

States and territories are central to water infrastructure as they are responsible for the regulation, management and allocation of water resources. The Authority was established to take a national approach to water infrastructure investment. By co-investing with the states and territories, a shared understanding of regional priorities in the context of broader planning can take place, informing

16

long-term investment decisions on a holistic national scale, to deliver a National Water Grid.

The National Water Infrastructure Investment Policy Framework was developed in partnership with the states and territories and underpins this co-investment partnership. It provides a clear, long-term approach to how water infrastructure projects are identified and how states and territories can access funding. The Investment Framework is underpinned by the objectives of supporting primary industries, promoting the growth and sustainability of regional economies, and building resilience in regional Australia.

State and territory governments are responsible for bringing forward project proposals that align with the Investment Framework. Submissions can be made at any time and the Commonwealth will assess them and make investment decisions twice yearly.

UNDERPINNED BY SCIENCE Underpinning investment in new water infrastructure projects is the National Water Grid Authority’s science program, which plays an important role in identifying the infrastructure that is best suited to improving water security in Australia’s regions. Through our science program we are working with Australia’s leading science institutions such as CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology, and in partnership with states and territories, to identify how and where new water resources can be sustainably developed, informing a long-term vision for Australia’s water security.

We are undertaking water resource analysis looking at how and where water resources can be developed. We are assessing emerging opportunities and new technologies that can enhance the capacity of existing water infrastructure; and we are developing tools and resources to support community awareness and understanding of water infrastructure investment by communicating the science.

NATIONAL WATER GRID ADVISORY BODY A key resource for the Australian Government and the National Water Grid Authority is the National Water Grid Advisory Body. Announced in September 2020, the Advisory Body provides independent expert advice to the Deputy Prime Minister on the specific water infrastructure policy, projects and investment priorities that will deliver the National Water Grid.

Chaired by experienced global senior executive Chris Lynch, the eight-member advisory body brings to their work a wide range of experience in engineering, agriculture, water and environmental science, economics, stakeholder engagement and infrastructure investment.

FEATURE PROJECTS Western Irrigation Network. The Western Irrigation Network in Victoria is currently under construction. It is due for completion by mid-2025 and will be supplying recycled water to farmers by mid-2022. The $116.3 million project will deliver a new, secure source of water for large-scale agricultural use through delivery of 59 km of pipeline, 2.1 GL of combined water storages and three high-capacity pump stations.

Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme. The Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme in Tasmania was completed in late 2020.

The $57.3 million project delivered a new dam and water distribution network with 92 km of pipelines. The project has built resilience to drought for northern Tasmanian producers and has the potential to increase irrigation by an additional 13 000 ha, with more than 84 irrigators and 106 properties benefiting from the project.

Rookwood Weir

Rookwood Weir. The Rookwood Weir project in Queensland is currently under construction.

The $367.2 million project will construct a new concrete weir on the lower Fitzroy River, 66 km southwest of Rockhampton. The weir will feature a spillway, about 200 m long, to supply about 86,000 ML of water to users.

TAILORED INFRASTRUCTURE There cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach to Australia’s water infrastructure future; solutions must be tailored to each region. The states and territories know their regions best and the National Water Grid Authority will continue working with them to deliver a National Water Grid that will help grow our agricultural and primary industries, build resilience and increase water security.

INFORMATION More information on the work of the National Water Grid Authority and the pipeline of water infrastructure projects can be found on the National Water Grid Authority website.

Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme

Acknowledgment. This article was supplied by the National Water Grid Authority.

Construction of the Western Irrigation Network

AUTUMN 2021

17

RURAL IRRIGATION INNOVATION Historic farm modernises irrigation system As well as being a showcase of early convict and white settler history in Tasmania, the historic village of Ross, located in the Midlands of Tasmania, has a rich farming history.

Last year, the owners of a mixed-enterprise farm in the area were looking to introduce some modern touches by installing a new irrigation system that would access water from the nearby Macquarie River.

As part of this installation, a cost-effective, flexible and reliable solution was required to pump water from the river to supply centre pivot irrigators as well as to take floodwater to top up an on-farm storage.

The job required sensitivity, both to the historical nature of the landscape and farm, which included a contour drain built by convicts, and to the philosophy of the owners who emphasised their connection to the land, their animals and the local community and their commitment to ecological sustainability.

MAJOR UPGRADE Following the overall design and specification provided by the project consultant, Jason Woodham from Irrigation & Dairy Solutions procured and installed the pumps and infrastructure required for the installation. Assistance on the pump specifications was provided by Neil McCarthy from Brown Brothers Engineers Australia.

The 2830 ha farm already had 1420 ha of irrigation consisting of six towable pivots that water 1300 ha and a fixed pivot that waters 120 ha. Irrigation was first installed on the farm in 1993 and upgrades have continued since.

In April last year, Irrigation & Dairy Solutions successfully tendered for a new system to be installed in two stages – two pivots covering 120 ha (completed in June 2020) followed by another two pivots covering 200 ha to be installed in stage 2.

All pumps line up on a manufactured, stainless-steel common discharge manifold.

18

According to Jason, more additions are to follow as part of this major upgrade.

“The first crop for the new works, which are on an area that has not been cultivated before, will be medicinal poppies, followed by pasture for livestock,” said Jason, who added that there are about 10,000 sheep on the farm.

WATER SOURCES AND PUMPS The water sources for the irrigation systems are both the Macquarie River, which the farm has a long frontage to, and a storage dam capable of holding up to 8,000 ML on the adjoining 11,000 ha farm.

The pumps on the river are Goulds ISO end-suction pumps that deliver water straight to the two centre pivots while a Flygt submersible pump provides river water either to the storage dam or as part of their daily water right. The stored water is then used to supply the centre pivots during the growing season.

The end-suction specified pump type was selected by the project consultant and the pump builds were agreed on by Jason in negotiation with Neil based on the requirements of the consultant. The Flygt submersible pump was specifically selected by Jason as it was a more efficient alternative to the original concept of a turbine style pump.

According to Jason, while access to the pump site was not difficult, there were the usual site-complicating issues when the pumps were being installed. The pumps are mounted 2 m above natural ground height, with a raised mound 14 x 7 x 2 m high being formed and compacted with a ramp access at one end. The ground had to be compaction tested to be sure it could hold the weight of a 10.5 x 4.5 x .2 m concrete slab with a 10 x 4 m Colorbond shed and the pumps.

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The GIS/GISO’s highly efficient and flexible construction makes it ideal for: • Water Supply • Pressure Boosting • Irrigation • HVAC applications

Clockwise from top left: Excavation of the new contour drain and pipeline before restoring the area to its natural look.

The submersible pump and discharge pipe being installed.

Completed installation of the pipeline, pump and pit.

All the pumps were mounted on a shared galvanised steel base and connected to a stainless-steel common discharge manifold The contour drain was excavated through to install the new pipeline and the restored to its natural look.

The Flygt pump line was cut to fit into the contour drain in the direction of the water flow and the bottom of the drain was rocked to stop erosion under water movement.

The pumps were started in mid-2020 and have been working without a hitch since. With this successful installation behind them, Neil and Jason are now working on the next stage in this historic farm’s irrigation modernisation process.

Standard construction is cast iron body, stainless steel impeller and stainless steel shaft. Other casing and impeller materials are available on request.

Contact us today to see how the Goulds GISO/ISO pump range can assist with your water requirements.

Acknowledgment. This article was prepared with input and assistance from Brown Brothers Engineers Australia and Irrigation & Dairy Services.

05/21

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RURAL IRRIGATION INNOVATION Off-farm projects to replace water buybacks: The Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package SNAPSHOT • The $269.6 million Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package puts an end to water buybacks, shifting the focus of the Basin Plan to off-farm projects • The package focuses on investing in community resilience and river health; building trust, transparency and accountability in governments; and better implementing the Basin Plan • To achieve these goals, the Australian Government has outlined 11 practical actions to be implemented during 2021–2022

The on-farm project funding has been replaced by the $269.6 million Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package, which was developed based on feedback from

Funding from the Federal Government for the MurrayDarling Basin has shifted in focus from on- to off-farm programs.

20

stakeholders. It centres on three key themes: • investing in community resilience and river health • building trust, transparency and accountability in governments • improving implementation of the Basin Plan.

When it comes to implementing the Basin Plan, the big changes are that water buybacks will come to an end and water efficiency programs will be shifted to off-farm projects. The new approach aims to ensure that the offfarm projects are flexible, successful and have community support.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website outlines the actions that will be taken during 2021–2022 to achieve this. In summary, they are as follows: Developing stronger leadership. The package aims to improve engagement and trust between communities

and governments. Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK, AFC, has been appointed as Chair of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. The government will also support the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council in empowering communities and keeping governments accountable.

Establishing stronger compliance. A statutory and independent Inspector-General of Water Compliance will be established. This will bring together the water compliance role of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority with the assurance role of the Interim Inspector-General of Murray–Darling Basin Water Resources. In addition, $38.7 million will be spent on improving Commonwealth water compliance functions.

Providing better information. A detailed platform will provide a one-stop shop for water storage, in-stream flows and trade information. It will bring together water information from across governments in a more accessible format for water users and communities.

Improving monitoring and reporting of social, economic and environment conditions. The package will provide $7.5 million to monitor social, economic and environmental conditions in the Basin. This builds on a $20 million investment in Basin-specific research so river management can be based on the best available science.

Focusing on benefits for communities. A further round of grants will be available through the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program to help communities that have been economically impacted by water recovery. A total of $34 million will be available to support projects that will help the economy.

Improving river health. Some $20 million will fund community-driven projects to improve the health of rivers and wetlands.

Investing in practical projects to sustain Riverland environments. A total of $37.6 million will go towards practical projects to help Riverland environments in South Australia. The aim is to recover the 450 GL of water for the environment in ways that support Basin communities.

Supporting First Nations Australians to play an active role in river health. The package will provide $3.1 million for four new First Nations River Rangers teams, creating around 20 jobs. The government will engage with Aboriginal communities to plan how to run the $40 million Aboriginal water entitlements program. An Indigenous board member will be appointed to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

Improving partnerships with communities. There will be a stronger focus on community input and on demonstrating how feedback is used within programs.

Investing in off-farm water efficiency projects.

The package shifts the focus away from on-farm water efficiencies and buybacks. The commonwealth government will work with the states and irrigation networks to identify projects to save water through off-farm infrastructure.

Strengthening working relationships between all levels of government. A new national partnership agreement will be established between the Australian and Basin state governments to provide funding for projects.

The Commonwealth Government has committed to working with Basin states to accelerate planning and delivery of supply and constraints projects that are at risk of not being delivered by 2024.

NORTHERN BASIN TOOLKIT PACKAGE ANNOUNCED The Australian Government has recently announced funding for a suite of environmental projects as part of the Northern Basin Toolkit package.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt, announced $90 million (of the $180 million) for 10 environmental projects in Queensland and New South Wales, which will deliver environmental outcomes for waterways, wetlands and marshes, and will also support the right environment for native fish to breed and thrive.

The six Northern Basin Toolkit measures are designed to: protect environmental flows, assist with targeted recovery of water, define event-based mechanisms (e.g. pumping and store-and-release), improve the delivery of environmental water, promote fish movement and habitat, and to improve flows to the wetlands in the Gwydir catchment.

Ten Toolkit projects have been approved for NSW and Queensland: • NSW Fish for the Future: Reconnecting the Northern Basin project • NSW Scoping Initiative: Macquarie Marshes enhanced watering project • NSW Fish for the Future: Fish-friendly Water Extraction project • Queensland Fish-friendly Water Extraction: Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers project • Gwydir - Gingham Watercourse project • Gwydir - Lower Gwydir Watercourse project • Gwydir - Lower Mehi River project • Enhance the Flexibility and Capability for Distributing and Managing Low Flows through the Lower Balonne River System Bifurcation Weirs project • Queensland Reconnecting Catchments: CondamineBalonne project (Jack Taylor and Beardmore dams) • Queensland Improving Within-Catchment Fish Resilience – Lower Balonne project (Culgoa)

AUTUMN 2021

21

RURAL IRRIGATION INNOVATION Efficiency Program goes from on to off SNAPSHOT • In March this year, Keith Pitt, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, announced that the tap was being turned off for on-farm project funding • A $1.48 billion Off-farm Efficiency Program is now the vehicle for recovering water for the environment through off-farm water efficiency projects • The Commonwealth Government is working with states and irrigation networks to identify suitable projects and to clarify funding arrangements for Basin state-led projects

One of the commonwealth government’s most significant funding programs for irrigation was the Water Efficiency Program, which provided $1.5 billion over 10 years to support on- and off-farm efficiency measures to contribute to recovering water for the environment in the MurrayDarling Basin.

In March this year, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt announced that the tap was being turned off for on-farm project funding and that a $1.48 billion Off-farm Efficiency Program would be the vehicle for recovering water for the environment through off-farm water efficiency projects.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website, projects funded under the program will improve the efficiency of off-farm irrigation infrastructure, increase the volume of water available for irrigators and help reach river health targets of returning 450 GL by June 2024.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE The Spring 2021 issue of Irrigation Australia Journal will feature: EDITORIAL > Urban irrigation: innovation and policy > Control systems ADVERTISING FEATURES > Automatic control CONFIRM YOUR ADVERTISING PRESENCE NOW! Contact Brian Rault on 0411 354 050 or email brian.rault@bcbmedia.com.au

The reason for the switch to off-farm projects is that the department considers they are more effective in recovering water than on-farm water projects. This is because they can: • improve infrastructure efficiency, protecting irrigators against a water-constrained future • provide opportunities for environmental water recovery without taking water that is used for crops • take the pressure off irrigators to recover water through buybacks • achieve positive social and economic outcomes for communities.

The program is part of the Murray Darling Communities Investment Package, which aims to put communities and jobs at the heart of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan. It will be funded through the Water for the Environment Special Account and includes: • $1.33 billion available for state-led projects to modernise irrigation infrastructure networks • $150 million available for Commonwealth-led direct grants for off-farm water savings projects that do not warrant Basin state involvement.

The Commonwealth Government is working with states and irrigation networks to identify suitable projects and to clarify funding arrangements for Basin state-led projects. The plan is for the commonwealth-led direct grants component to be opened eligible organisations in the middle of 2021.

Stocktake of off-farm infrastructure projects In November 2020, the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) Ministerial Council considered a list of off-farm infrastructure projects that could address water losses, provide regional stimulus, and/or contribute to agricultural productivity. The projects are listed on the SAWE website.

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GOOD IRRIGATION PRACTICE System test: an important part of commissioning and handover SNAPSHOT • The final phase of installing an irrigation system is commissioning, an important part of which is system testing • The key elements of system testing are outlined in industry publication Irrigation System Design Guidelines (piped systems) • System testing should include all new components, as well as all pre-existing components that are being incorporated into a system upgrade. This includes checking pump performance, ensuring correct pressure and flow rate to all emitters or sprinklers, testing all controls, shut-offs and alarms, and testing check valves and backflow preventers • It is important to document any variations from the original design and to communicate these to the client

When a project has been designed and installed, the final phase before handover is commissioning, a part of which is system testing. This is generally undertaken by the installer although the designer is often involved, either at the system testing phase, or to provide input on how to correct performance issues. A properly executed commissioning process will demonstrate if all components of the system are installed and operating properly, and in accordance with the system specification.

Before handover it is important to test all parts of an irrigation system as part of the commissioning process.

Photo: Jayne Rothwell

24

While most irrigation businesses have developed their own procedure for system testing, this article outlines the keys steps, as outlined in industry publication Irrigation System Design Guidelines (piped systems), available to members on the Irrigation Australia website.

Testing the system The system must be tested by a qualified person and the test results supplied to designer and irrigator. System testing should include all new components, as well as all pre-existing components that are being incorporated into a system upgrade. This is particularly important for pumping stations.

The following should be tested during installation and/or before handover of the system: • Check that construction debris is removed and then pressure-test the pipelines at 1.5 x the normal operating pressure, if possible. If this pressure is not achievable with the installed pumping equipment, then pressure-test at the maximum achievable pressure.

• Check that pump performance meets the specification.

• Ensure that all irrigators receive the required pressure and flow rate.

• Test all controls, cut-offs and alarms.

• Calibrate flow meters (where applicable).

• Test water application depth, intensity and uniformity as per contract.

• Test all check valves and backflow preventers, including those on the intake.

There are several existing standards that are specific to performance testing of irrigation components that may be appropriate, including:

AS 2417

Rotodynamic pumps – Hydraulic performance acceptance tests

AS 2845.3

Water supply – Backflow prevention devices – Field testing and maintenance

AS 4041

Pressure piping

AS/NZS 1462

Methods of test for unplasticised PVC (uPVC) pipes and fittings

AS/NZS 2566.2

Buried flexible pipeline – Installation

AS/NZS 5902.5

Building and civil engineering drawing practices – Recommendations for drawings associated with engineering services operating manuals and maintenance manuals

ISO 9644

Agricultural irrigation equipment – Pressure losses in irrigation valves – test methods

The New Zealand, Irrigation Evaluation Code of Practice (INZ, 2006), can also be used as a guide to testing. In addition, many pipe suppliers’ technical documentation and pipe installation standards contain sections relating to pipe pressure testing.

System design guidelines If any variations from the original design are identified during the system testing, these must be recorded in the relevant documentation. Unless otherwise outlined in the contract, the acceptable deviation from the system specification is as follows:

• flow rates must not be more than ± 5 per cent of the design value • pressures must not be more than ± 10 per cent of the design value • current (amps) must not be more than ± 5 per cent of the design value • application uniformity must not be > 5 per cent under that specified.

Correcting poor performance If system testing reveals that actual system performance does not meet the system specification, the fault must be corrected and the system retested, or be reported to the irrigator or client.

Any consequences of operating a system that deviates significantly from the system specification must be fully explained to the irrigator. The client may decide whether to accept the system as installed.

If they decide that the system must be made to meet the agreed system specification, the designer (if responsible for initiating the installation) must arrange for the necessary rectification. This must be done in accordance with the original contract.

Information For information about design guidelines for piped systems, go to Irrigation System Design Guidelines (piped systems), available to members on the Irrigation Australia website. As a professional, it is important that you apply best practice in your field as this is your best advertisement and one of the most effective ways of maintaining satisfied customers and avoiding disputes.

sales@naandanjain.com.au www.naandanjain.com.au 03 9767 1222

GOOD IRRIGATION PRACTICE Drip irrigation design and management in production nurseries

• Best practice management benchmarks include: Coefficient of Uniformity (CU), Scheduling Coefficient (SC) and Mean Application Rate (MAR)

by pressure variations. Just as importantly, the non-leak function allows the lateral to remain full of water when the system turns off. This means that every emitter starts at the same time when the system next starts, and it ensures that the line doesn't drain to the containers at the lowest point of the irrigated area. For this reason, CNLs are particularly important for sloping sites.

• To achieve a good CU and SC, using the correct emitter is vital

Mean Application Rates

SNAPSHOT • Drip irrigation in nurseries can save water and improve plant quality

• MAR is important because if the flow rate is too high, the growing media can’t absorb all the water, resulting in wasted water and nutrients. Several methods exist to increase absorption • Large containers can be particularly problematic but good system design can overcome the challenges

Using drip irrigation in nurseries can save water and improve plant quality, but to achieve these improvements, the system must be designed and managed correctly. This article looks at some of the key things to consider when setting up and maintaining irrigation systems in production nurseries.

Meeting best practice management benchmarks The Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland (NGIQ) outlines three best management practice benchmarks that should be met in an efficient irrigation system: • Coefficient of Uniformity (CU): the measure of the overall uniformity of the layout • Scheduling Coefficient (SC): the additional time that a system needs to run to water the driest container in the area • Mean Application Rate (MAR): the rate at which the water is applied to the growing media.

The right design and management practices can help nursery managers to meet these benchmarks.

Flow rates from drip emitters are low compared with sprinklers, but it is still important to ensure that the application rate doesn’t exceed the ability of the growing media to absorb the water. For example, if a 2 L/hr dripper is used to irrigate a 200 mm pot, an MAR of 60 mm/hour results, far exceeding the benchmark of less than between 15 and 20 mm/hr (Table 1).

If the MAR exceeds the absorption rate of the growing media, the excess water cannot be absorbed and it flows through the media and out of the container, leaching nutrients and wasting water. The excess water also pushes the already applied water through the growing media, further increasing leaching rates.

When the MAR is too high, more water is required to wet the growing media, as not all the applied water is being absorbed. Trying to compensate for this by increasing run times only worsens the leaching, as the additional water still can’t be absorbed by the growing media.

The Coefficient of Uniformity and Scheduling Coefficient The correct emitter (or dripper) is crucial to achieving a good CU and SC. With the right emitter, a drip irrigation system can achieve a CU of greater than 95 per cent, which exceeds the industry benchmark, and an SC of less than 1.1 (compared to the benchmarks of less than 1.5 for an existing system or less than 1.3 for a new system).

Pressure-compensated, non-leak emitters (CNL) reduce the variations in output through the system that are caused

26

A well designed and managed drip irrigation system can save water and improve plant quality in nurseries.

How to increase absorption If the media is not becoming wet and large amounts of water are draining from the container, one or more of these strategies can help increase absorption: • reducing the dripper flow rate • using manifolds to split the flow from each dripper across multiple pots • spreading applications across multiple run times to match the application rate to the absorption rate (pulsing).

Reducing dripper flow rates. Reducing dripper flow rates to match the absorption rate of the growing media will maximise the lateral spread of water before it reaches the bottom of the container. Many drip irrigation systems use emitters with flow rates of 2, 4, 8 or 12 L/hr, resulting in excessive application rates for most container sizes. As shown in Table 1, most drip irrigation systems apply water well above the best practice maximum of between 15 and 20 mm/hr.

Using manifolds. Another way to reduce the flow rate from each dripper is to install a multi-outlet manifold connected to 3 mm tubing, which is in turn secured with a stake, known as an arrow, to the growing media in the pot.

It is important that the flow rate to each arrow is at least 0.5 L/hr to reduce the variability in the output from each arrow and maximise irrigation uniformity.

Pulsing. Pulsing can help increase the absorption of applied water by the growing media and improve lateral spread. Efficient pulsing requires non-leakage drippers and irrigation controllers. Such systems close the dripper off at low pressure and prevent water draining from the lateral, allowing all drippers to open and close simultaneously.

TABLE 1. APPLICATION RATES (MM/HOUR) RESULTING FROM THE USE OF DRIPPERS ON DIFFERENT SIZED CONTAINERS. Container size

Dripper rates (L/hr) 2

3

4

8

100 mm

250

150 mm

110

170

230

200 mm

60

95

130

250

250 mm

40

61

80

160

300 mm

30

42

60

110

330 mm

20

35

50

90

45 L

20

27

40

70

75 L

10

15

20

40

Design for larger containers Larger containers present their own challenges. To ensure water is distributed uniformly, it must be applied at more than one point on the top of the growing media. This can be achieved either by positioning multiple low flow rate drippers in each container or using one manifolded dripper with multiple application points through arrows.

An example of a well set up drip irrigation system on a 400 mm pot would be a Netafim CNL dripper discharging 3 L/hr fitted with a four-way manifold and 3 mm tubing to arrows delivering 0.75 L/hr from each arrow, with two arrows per pot, giving an MAR of 11.9 mm/hr (see Table 2).

TABLE 2. MAR USING FOUR-WAY MANIFOLDS AND 3 L/HR DRIPPERS. Container size

Volume of pot (L)

Outlets/ pot

Drip rate L/hr

MAR mm/hr

300 mm

15

1

0.75

10.6

330 mm

25

1

0.75

8.8

400 mm

35

2

1.5

11.9

45 L

45

2

1.5

11.9

500 mm

75

4

3

15.3

100 L

100

4

3

15.3

150 L

150

4

3

10.6

Alternatively, Miniscape drip tube can be placed in a loop on top of the growing media. This can be looped around and joined at a tee to connect into a standard 13 mm or 19 mm low density polythene lateral. The larger the container, the longer the dripline must be and the more drippers must be used. By selecting an appropriate number of drippers for the size of the container the MAR can be adjusted to match the absorption rate of the growing media (see Table 3).

TABLE 3. APPLICATION RATES USING MINISCAPE DRIPLINE. Container size (L)

Number of drippers

Drip rate L/hr

MAR mm/hr

200

2

3.8

11.4

400

4

7.6

11.4

600

6

11.4

11.4

800

10

19

14.2

1000

10

19

11.4

1200

15

28.5

14.2

1400

15

28.5

12.2

1600

20

38

14.2

1800

20

38

12.7

Invest in good design and management Careful planning of the design and management of drip irrigation systems will pay dividends by decreasing water use and improving plant quality, particularly in large containers and in areas where sprinkler layouts may be difficult to install.

Acknowledgments. The original article by Lex McMullin was published on the Greenlife Industry Australia website. Thanks to the Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland (NGIQ) and the Queensland Government.

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RAINWATER HARVESTING Managing water in Greater Sydney: Future scenarios SNAPSHOT • A report by Kingspan Water and Energy and Urban Water Cycle Solutions recently analysed water management in Greater Sydney • The report found that Greater Sydney is managing water sustainably, but improvements are needed to cope with the growing population • Legacy impacts of the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) have played an important role in Sydney’s efficient water management • In future, there should be a focus on quantitative reductions in demand management as well as increasing supply. Central to this approach is education, a better pricing mechanism and improved stormwater management, including rainwater harvesting

A September 2020 report by Kingspan Water and Energy and Urban Water Cycle Solutions analysed water management in Greater Sydney. The report found that to cope with future demand, we need a better strategy that does not rely solely on central infrastructure. Demand management, including rainwater harvesting, together with a new pricing scheme, should form part of this solution.

The greatest issue facing efficient water management in Sydney is long delivery distances, transporting water and sewage over 50 km from and to central infrastructure treatment plants. Local water sources, such as rainwater harvesting, are much more efficient, but need the water grid for reliable supply. More efficient water use has a double benefit: it reduces the amount of water that needs to be supplied and the amount of sewage that needs to be treated.

The report considers water management at both the regional and the local scale, changes to individual buildings and the behaviour at the lot level. By addressing city wide challenges ‘at the source’ we can address increased demand for water, increased stormwater volumes and increased transport costs of delivery associated with new development. New buildings can become part of the solution rather than further contributing to our problems. This is the BASIX approach and it has proved to have important, synergistic and non-linear benefits.

BASIX HAS BEEN WORKING The report found that, despite facing significant challenges, Greater Sydney has been managing water efficiently and sustainably. The driver of this was a legacy of the implementation of the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) program – a NSW Government sustainability planning measure that started in 2004.

Since its introduction, most new buildings have been required to meet targets relating to demand management, which also has unregulated benefits for the capture and reuse of stormwater. Demand management solutions include a quantitative water use target, landscape management, fittings and fixtures, alternative water sources, pools and spas and central systems. About 90 per cent of applicants choose to meet these targets with rainwater tanks.

FOUR POSSIBLE BASIX SCENARIOS To identify how Sydney can maintain its water-saving record, especially in the light of population growth, the report examined the impact of BASIX under four scenarios: • Business as Usual (BAU), which assumes that current water, sewage and stormwater management practices and BASIX policies remain the same • Not having BASIX • An improved BASIX to include stormwater volume targets and better online tools designed to address key Greater Sydney challenges FIGURE. WHAT BUILDINGS CAN DO IN URBAN THE WATER CYCLE.

Source: Kingspan Water and Energy.

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• A combined improved BASIX and variable price structure for water and sewage to reward citizens and utilities for efficient water use and stormwater management.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEMAND MANAGEMENT The analysis showed that the fourth scenario will yield the greatest benefits to 2050. An improved BASIX that incorporates education and better stormwater management (including rainwater harvesting), coupled with a variable price structure, would deliver $7 billion in community benefits compared to Business as Usual, and $11 billion compared to not having BASIX at all.

At the other end of the spectrum, ceasing BASIX would result in measurable increases in water consumption, infrastructure costs, and environmental and flooding damage.

The report highlighted the importance of using demand management rather than relying on supply solutions. For example, by 2019, BASIX demand-management policies had already saved the Greater Sydney region about 79 billion litres of water annually, comparable to the 90 billion litre annual capacity of the Sydney desalination plant.

An important aspect of demand management is a new pricing system to reflect the full, local cost of water and sewage services and stormwater management and a full use tariff in place of a fixed tariff. This approach would encourage consumers to reduce mains water use and install more efficient appliances and would not increase consumers’ bills overall.

RAINWATER HARVESTING The report also emphasises the importance of better capture, treatment and reuse of stormwater, through rainwater harvesting. The current version of BASIX does not recognise the stormwater benefits of rainwater harvesting and should be expanded. Rainwater harvesting improves the performance of the whole system by simultaneously reducing the pressure on water and stormwater infrastructure and reducing demand for mains water.

Existing rainwater harvesting has provided 30 GL of water annually to the Greater Sydney region and water efficient appliances provided 49 GL of water savings each year, representing a 13 per cent reduction in demand for utility water supply in 2019. These legacy measures also reduce stormwater runoff, nutrient loads and greenhouse gas emissions.

INFORMATION The report, An alternative water strategy for Sydney, can be found at the Kingspan Water and Energy website.

Eve White, White Editing

STUDY FINDS LINK BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND RIVER FLOW WORLDWIDE An international team of researchers including the University of Adelaide has shown that climate change is responsible for the changes in the flow and water volume of rivers globally, with major implications for Australia.

In the study published in Science, the team investigated changes in river flow, and whether the globally visible changes could be attributed to climate change or to water and land management. The researchers modelled the changes using data collected from 7,250 measuring stations worldwide, including in southern parts of Australia.

While climate change’s impact on water volumes and flooding and drought is widely recognised, this is the first research to examine the changes in river flow globally using direct measurements of stream flow.

The research demonstrated that river flow has changed systemically between 1971 and 2010. Complex patterns were revealed, with some regions including Australia and the Mediterranean becoming drier, while elsewhere such as in Scandinavia, water volumes have increased. The research found that climate change is a key factor in these changes.

Co-author Professor Seth Westra from the University of Adelaide’s School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, said: “In Australia, it is increasingly recognised that at least part of the observed decreases in flowing water volumes in our rivers and streams can be attributed to climate change.”

“Historically Australia is known as ‘a land of droughts and flooding rains’ – in that throughout our history there has been times of severe drought but also times where there has been too much water. In the past, those extremes have been largely attributed to natural environmental processes,” he said.

“However, because of the drying effect of climate change on our river systems, we can no longer assume history will repeat and we must prioritise mitigating the impact.”

River flow is an important indicator of water resources available to humans and the environment.

“In Australia around 70 per cent of water is used in agriculture production, with much of that water used in the irrigation of crops.

Australia’s economy, food security and wellbeing are all dependent on our water resources, so it’s critical we plan for a drier future,” said Professor Westra.

The research acknowledges there are other factors affecting water fluctuations, including water management and land use, but found that these were not sufficient to explain global changes. Rather, the global changes in water resource availability could only be understood if climate change was taken into account.

The hope is that this information could be used to develop strategies to help us adapt to climate change.

Source: University of Adelaide

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RAINWATER HARVESTING Sustainability house shows benefits of rainwater capture SNAPSHOT • Water and energy use in a sustainability house in Newcastle was monitored over a 20-year period to determine what differences installing rainwater tanks, a solar system and batteries would make • Rainwater tanks were installed as a dual system with mains water backup so that rainwater was sourced first for all household uses • Installing rainwater tanks and using water efficient appliances resulted in 67 per cent less main water being used

A twenty-year project monitoring domestic energy and water use in a sustainable house in Newcastle has shown how the house operated as a system with feedback loops that influenced householder behaviour and use of appliances and water tanks. These, in turn, had an impact on water and energy efficiency and decreased off-site impacts such as returns to stormwater. In dollar terms (2017), the effect was to reduce utility bills for the house by $2,126.

From the perspective of water supply and use, an important message was that rainwater tanks can decrease potable water use, both in the garden and inside the house, as well as limit the volume of runoff water that is returned to stormwater.

SUSTAINABLE HOUSE Since 1997, equipment such as rainwater tanks and a solar system and batteries have gradually been installed in a sustainable house, located in a Newcastle suburb, and their impact on energy and water use, human behaviour and cost monitored.

In 2003, two 2,200 L rainwater tanks were installed with backup from mains water supplies using trickle top-up to a minimum water level. This dual water system aimed to source rainwater first for all household water uses, including a kitchen garden, and use mains water when rainwater was unavailable. In 2012, a 5,000 L tank was installed, and in 2017 a variable-speed, external e-pump replaced a submerged pump on the tank.

Accurate information was derived from smart water meters, which measured both rainwater and mains water use (measurements at one-minute intervals), and from A long-term project monitoring domestic water and energy use has shown two key benefits of using rainwater tanks; they can decrease potable water use and limit the volume of runoff water returned to stormwater.

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utility bills. Estimates were also made of the volume of stormwater runoff.

WHAT MONITORING REVEALED One significant result was a dramatic reduction in demand for mains water after the rainwater harvesting system was installed in 2003 and water-efficient appliances such as a low-flush toilet in 2004. Before 2003, average mains water use was 520 L/day; in 2012 this had decreased to 140 L/day as a result of rainwater being used before mains water. In 2017, after a renovation, mains water use was 170 L/day, and rainwater was 120 L/day. When water efficiency measures and appliances were included, mains water use was 67 per cent less than in 2002.

An additional benefit was that the installation of rainwater tanks reduced runoff to stormwater by a half.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? For the irrigation and water industries, this long-term study has some important insights into the benefits of using rainwater tanks and water-efficient appliances, both for irrigation and inside household use, providing pointers

as to how suppliers and retailers might market these products.

While many people think that the way to use a rainwater tank is to wait for dry conditions before using captured water, this study shows, as many others have done, that the best way to use it is as a primary water supply with mains water providing the backup.

It also shows the hidden benefit of capturing rainwater in decreasing runoff to stormwater. Half the rain that fell on the property was captured on the property, providing a saving for the householder, but also one for the water utility in that it had less volume to deal with. The benefits and savings of capturing stormwater if they were replicated across many households would be significant.

Reference Coombes PJ (2018) “Two decades of household water and energy monitoring – rainwater harvesting to solar battery storage”, presented at Creating Water Sensitive Communities Conference 12-15 February 2018.

Anne Currey, Irrigation Australia

A FORESIIGHT SOLUTION

• • • •

IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA NEWS MELBOURNE REGIONAL COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTES TO MEMORIAL GARDEN In April last year, four police officers were tragically killed in an accident on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway.

As a way of ensuring their names live on and of recognising their sacrifice, a memorial garden was created and dedicated on 21 April this year by Victoria’s Chief Commissioner, Shane Patton.

The centrepiece of this living memorial, next to the parade ground at the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley, is four olive trees representing the four police officers who died – Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Joshua Prestney.

The newly dedicated memorial garden at the Victoria Police Academy, which features four olive trees representing the police officers who were tragically killed in April 2020.

Irrigation industry members from the Melbourne regional committee involved in building the memorial garden (l to r) Damian Cullen (Reece Irrigation), Justin Wise (Netafim), Geoff Connellan (Irrigation Australia project coordinator) and Jim Marchbank (Irrigation Australia regional chairman).

The Irrigation Australia Melbourne Region, through Chairman Jim Marchbank, volunteered to provide all equipment and installation as part of the irrigation contribution to the garden.

Geoff Connellan coordinated the irrigation response with the garden designers and the landscape suppliers.

Irrigation design was provided by Damian Cullen, Reece Irrigation, and equipment was generously donated by Reece Irrigation, Hunter Industries, HR Products and Netafim, and installed by Sportsgrass Pty Ltd. The families of the police expressed their gratitude and appreciation for a memorial that will continue to grow and be valued by the police and public community into the future.

“It was an honour for the irrigation community to be able to contribute to such a worthy memorial for the police officers who have given their lives,” said Geoff Connellan.

YOUNG IRRIGATION PROFESSIONALS NETWORK While a visit to any irrigation event will reveal a good percentage of attendees with silver hair and a few wrinkles, a growing demographic is that of young professionals – people under the age of 40 who have entered the industry more recently and are passionate about its prospects and about maintaining high standards of practice and professionalism.

As a way of nurturing the talent of these members, and to provide a supportive community in the industry, Irrigation Australia has encouraged and is championing the Australian Young Irrigation Professionals (YIP) sub-committee, under the auspices of IACID (Irrigation Australia Committee on Irrigation and Drainage).

ICID Young Professionals working in the irrigation and drainage sector, particularly from the member countries of ICID, are encouraged to attend ICID events and conferences. ICID and IACID acknowledge that this capacity building is important as today’s young professionals will be tomorrow’s pillars in ICID.

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To promote networking among young professionals around the globe, the ICID Young Professionals e-forum (IYPeF) was established as a LinkedIn Group. The group has 320 plus members and the e-forum is a dynamic platform for them to participate and discuss issues about agricultural water management.

Patrick Johnson is the coordinator of the Australian YIP sub-committee. Irrigation Australia caught up with Patrick and asked him about the YIP. IA. Why did you decide to join the YIP sub-committee and what sorts of issues do you deal with when you meet?

Patrick. Fortunately, I stumbled across the irrigation industry 10 years ago and it has opened so many opportunities for me and resulted in a real passion for irrigation. The YIP subcommittee now gives me the opportunity to showcase the career opportunities to the next generation. Currently we are

in the early stages of developing the YIP Network and our focus is creating a membership of young professionals and highlighting the benefits of our YIP Network Membership.

IA. What support does it offer to young people in the industry (in Australia and around the world) and how important is this support?

Patrick. The YIP Network will be a platform to not only showcase the industry and its opportunities, but also will be a resource for current young professionals in the irrigation industry to develop their opportunity for networking and careers further. We are looking at holding exclusive membership webinars and training days in the future, on topics such as irrigation design, innovation in the irrigation automation sector and developing basic business skills. All ideas will be put out to our membership group for feedback as it is here to benefit them.

With time we hope to develop the network to also give the opportunity for mentorship in the industry – a place where we can connect YIPs to experienced irrigation experts from around the world.

IA. What sorts of topics are discussed on the e-forum and are the benefits of participating more than technical?

Patrick. As we launch the e-forum there will be a strong focus on the technical aspect but, as it develops, we believe it will also be a platform to connect and build a network with like-minded professionals.

IA. What has been the most difficult thing for you as far as advancing your career is concerned?

Patrick. Personally, I have been very fortunate to continue to develop my career within the industry as I have had strong support from my current employer, Netafim Australia, who have given me the opportunity to continue to learn and develop. Others may have limited assistance through their workplaces, and I believe that this is where YIP Network can be helpful by making YIPs aware of the amazing opportunities the irrigation industry has to offer.

Coordinator of the Australian YIP sub-committee, Patrick Johnson, says the network will be a platform to showcase the industry and its opportunities as well as a resource for current young professionals in the irrigation industry to develop their opportunity for networking and careers.

I have also been fortunate to see so much of Western Australia in particular. My workplace varies from vineyards within our great south-west region, to remote stations in the Kimberley.

IA. What would you say to a young person wondering whether to get involved in the YIP network?

Patrick. Jump on board and let us show you the opportunities and potential the irrigation industry has to offer.

Information For information about and to connect with the YIP subcommittee, go to their LinkedIn page

IA. What do you enjoy about the industry?

Patrick. Working in the agriculture/horticulture irrigation market, I get to associate with great people who are passionate about growing and irrigating efficiently and sustainably. Water is such a precious resource, and in my role in the industry I am able to work with growers and farmers and develop ways to use the water they have in the most efficient way possible. These crops are then seen down the track on the supermarket shelves.

YIP Sub-committee members Patrick Johnson – Coordinator Joe Griffiths – Deputy Coordinator Chris Langford – Deputy Coordinator Luke Behn – committee member Corey Clifford – committee member Isaac Jeffrey – committee member Amin Machiani – committee member Kahla McKinless – committee member

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IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA NEWS ABOUT THE YOUNG IRRIGATION PROFESSIONALS Vision • Create a dynamic network of young irrigation and drainage professionals • Develop career experiences and motivate exchange of ideas • Educate Young Professionals about current and future global and local irrigation and drainage issues and trends Member profile Membership is open to people between 18 and 40 years of age who are: • employed in organisations supporting the irrigation and drainage sector in the beginning and mid-stage of their career and to • university, college graduates, undergraduates and/ or individuals currently working in the irrigation industry in research/education/policy or consulting with a strong interest in irrigation.

Objectives The objectives of the YIP are to:

REGIONAL ROUNDUP What’s going on in the regions and with membership by Tracy Martin, Irrigation Australia's National Membership and Regions Manager.

Queensland. The South-East Queensland Waterwise Sub Committee have completed the review of the Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop program and have progressed to reviewing the Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program.

The South-East Queensland Regional Committee are investigating the opportunity to host a member event in South-East Queensland and more detail will be advised when confirmed.

Western Australia. A member event is being organised at the Baldivis Sporting Complex in partnership with the City of Rockingham and NewGround Water Services. On the program are topics to do with the development of the complex, including: • master plan objective • bore construction • design methodology • construction/installation • system delivery and parameters.

• Offer an interactive educational program where industry experts share information, intelligence and perspective on topical issues.

• Provide opportunities for the development of professional skills to excel in this vital irrigation industry.

• Gain exclusive contacts with other Young Professionals interested in the agricultural water management issues through the IYPef worldwide membership and benefit by networking with other membership networks representing over 90% of the irrigation area of the world.

• Provide an avenue for delivering perspectives and contributions of Young Professionals to priority and policy setting of the national (IACID) and the international ICID agenda.

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Member events being planned for the rest of the year are: • Cottesloe Golf Course (June) • Curtin University (September/October) • Fruitco - Table grape grower Waroona (November).

Planning is well underway for the region’s premier biennial event, the 2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo, to be held 25 August 2021 at Crown Perth Conference Centre and taking in the Burswood Park landscape precinct.

To download the exhibitor prospectus and secure your exhibition space go to the Irrigation Australia website.

Melbourne. The Water Utility sub-committee have produced a matrix highlighting references from the utilities’ strategies around the urban water strategy programs and will now focus on dovetailing these into the existing overview of the areas that Irrigation Australia can deliver services to.

The Waterwise Garden Irrigator program continues to be rolled out in Melbourne. The Waterwise Garden Irrigator and Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop programs are self-study endorsement programs, facilitated and administered by

Irrigation Australia. They are designed to optimise water-use efficiency and reduce water use in garden irrigation systems.

Underpinning the programs are best practice standards for irrigation system specifications, installation and design.

To learn how your business can become a Waterwise Professional, contact Irrigation Australia on (08) 6263 7774 or visit the Waterwise website.

New South Wales. The Sydney regional committee is changing its focus from water restrictions to cover other areas of services relevant to our members such as events, engagement with councils and training.

Northern Territory. In March, Irrigation Australia along with the NT government, NT Farmers Federation (NTFF) and Australian Mango Association (AMA) organised field days at Katherine and Darwin highlighting ways to improve water use efficiency and maximise crop yields. All the organisations were pleased with the attendance at both events – 31 at Darwin and 47 at Katherine – with participants giving positive feedback on the days.

The field days also incorporated a tradeshow with 21 manufacturers exhibiting water-saving products and services and providing participants the opportunity to get hands-on experience and discuss their needs.

As a result of organising these successful field days, Irrigation Australia has agreed to provide members services to both NTFF and AMA. The grower associations will promote Irrigation Australia courses and Irrigation Australia will deliver a similar water efficiency field day to mango growers in Far North Queensland.

South Australia. In April, the regional committee cohosted a very successful half-day field day with SA Sports Turf Association at the Prince Alfred College. As part of the event, Irrigation Australia trainer, John Harvie, presented a half-hour session on irrigation scheduling.

The two associations are now investigating more opportunities to co-host events, including visits to the desalinisation/water treatment plant and North Adelaide Golf Course and field days on soil moisture monitoring and satellite/aerial drone photography.

WATERWISE IRRIGATION PROGRAMS ON FACEBOOK Have you checked out Irrigation Australia’s Waterwise irrigation programs on Facebook?

Waterwise-endorsed members are fully trained in water efficient practices and can design, install, repair and maintain domestic irrigation systems.

There are two categories: • Waterwise Garden Irrigator - for professional installation and maintenance services • Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop - for expert advice and quality parts The Facebook page aims to provide the wider community with #waterwise tips and advice and promote members.

Participants at the Darwin water efficiency field day organised by Irrigaiotn Australia in partnership with the NT government, NT Farmers Federation and Australian Mango Association.

Use the QR code and jump on Facebook to find out more and keep up to date.

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IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA NEWS FIND AN IRRIGATION SPECIALIST If you are looking for an irrigation specialist, then the Irrigation Australia website is your one-stop-shop. Just type in a postcode and irrigation professionals listed in the area will be shown, along with their contact details.

IAL BOARD DIRECTORS Andrew Ogden (Chairman) Western Irrigation, Bibra Lake WA 6163 P: 08 9434 5678 M: 0411 750 770 E: andrew@westernirrigation.net.au Colin Bendall SunWater, Brisbane 4001 P: 07 3120 0105 M: 0417 700 736 E: collector1930@bigpond.com Peter Brueck Waterwise Consulting, Bangor NSW 2234 M: 0411 425 831 E: peter@wwconsulting.com.au Peter Durand Netafim, Laverton Vic 3028 P: 03 8331 6500 M: 0407 975 401 E: peter.durand@netafim.com Greig Graham Rivulis, Brendale Queensland 4500 P: 07 3881 4028 M: 0409 586 613 E: greig.graham@rivulis.com

Rob Nadebaum Rain Bird, Deer Park Victoria 3023 P: 1800 724 624 M: 0459 127 707 E: rnadebaum@rainbird.com.au John Pivac Vinidex, Virginia Queensland 4014 P: 08 8300 9254 M: 0439 887 971 E: jpivac@vinidex.com.au Simon Treptow Irrigear Stores, Mornington Victoria 3931 P: 03 5976 1588 M: 0438 695 170 E: simon@irrigear.com.au Momir Vranes Ashgrove Queensland 4060 M: 0451 955 215 E: mvranes@hotmail.com Carl Walters Goulburn-Broken Catchment Management Authority, Shepparton Victoria 3632 P: 03 5822 7711 M: 0419 118 237 E: carlw@gbcma.vic.gov.au

IRRIGATION AUDITING CATCH CANS AVAILABLE FROM IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA Measure the application rate and uniformity of all types of pressurised irrigation – from handheld hoses to a centre pivot.

Order your set now from Irrigation Australia.

Catch cans with plastic spikes Set of 12 AU $55.00 (incl GST) Members: AU $47.00 (incl GST) Plus postage

Catch cans with metal spikes Set of 10 AU $95.00 (incl GST) Members: AU $85.00 (incl GST) Plus postage

Order online at www.irrigationaustralia.com.au (go to the Store tab and then select “Merchandise”) or contact Irrigation Australia, phone 07 3517 4000.

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MAJOR SPONSORS

EXHIBITION SPACE ON SALE NOW DOWNLOAD PROSPECTUS

WATERWISE IRRIGATION EXPO 2021 25TH AUGUST 2021 Between 7.30am and 4.00pm Crown Perth Conference Centre Gt Eastern Hwy, Burswood

ABOUT THE EXPO The Waterwise Irrigation Expo provides Exhibitors a face to face opportunity with the urban landscape industry of Western Australia.

This biennial event attracts delegates from all sectors of the irrigation industry including Local Govt Parks & Gardens Teams, Landscapers, Irrigation Installers, Contractors and Retailers and Turf Managers.

This event is promoted to these sectors through various marketing campaigns.

The Expo will consist of delegates being assigned to a group for the duration of the day and being escorted to various locations within the Burswood Park Precinct for hands-on field training.

VISIT THIS LINK TO REGISTER YOUR EXHIBITION SPACE AT THE 2021 WATERWISE IRRIGATION EXPO AUTUMN 2021 Single Booth Registration https://bit.ly/38Ubtfa | Double Booth Registration https://bit.ly/2LL2HHx 1

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SNAPSHOT • Geoff Harvey updates us on irrigation training plans and progress with training delivery • Peter Smith provides the latest on meter policy and certification • It’s 35 years since the first Australian industry members, Rod Doyle and Graeme Zanoni, received their CID qualification

followed by Certificate III (44.5%). Students doing the qualification through Irrigation Australia had a completion rate 5.5 per cent higher than the national average.

We currently have 100 students registered in the new Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32419 (Trade Level) qualification, and the first students to complete the qualification will do so by mid-year.

About 520 students have received a statement of attainment from Irrigation Australia since 2018.

• Irrigation Australia training courses

Training delivered in Far North Queensland

IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA TRAINING: AN INDUSTRY SUCCESS STORY The training calendar for the rest of this financial year is very full and we are now concentrating on scheduling new training courses for next financial year. Enquiries about training have been consistent, particularly for our Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32419 and Certified Meter Installer and Validation training courses.

We are now starting to deliver some of our training courses face to face, particularly competencies with practical components in Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32419. These are being done in blocks 3 and 4 of this training course.

While most of our training courses are still being delivered virtually using Zoom, in the future we will use a blend of online and face-to-face delivery. This is cost-effective for Irrigation Australia while also meeting the needs of students who favour face-to-face training.

Numbers tell the story One hundred and fifty students have completed their Certificate III in Irrigation AHC32416 (superseded qualification); the same number have withdrawn or not completed the full course for reasons such as a change in industry or illness.

The old AHC32416 qualification has not been able to be taught since 19 April 2021, so any students who have not finished this qualification must apply to do the new qualification and apply for credits for competencies already completed. Students will be issued with a statement of attainment for competencies they have successfully completed in the old qualification.

The overall completion rate of the AHC32416 qualification is 50 per cent. According to National Centre for Vocational Education Research statistics (December 2020), completion rates were highest for Certificate IV qualifications (47.0%)

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Recently we delivered an electrofusion poly welding training course to 10 staff at the Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council in Far North Queensland. Most of the students were Indigenous and welcomed the opportunity to be trained and certified in electrofusion poly welding.

Job done! All participants from the Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council successfully completed their training and final assessments and are now certified electrofusion poly welders. An achievement to be proud of.

While the weather and landscape up there were certainly challenging, with an extended wet season to contend with, it did not stop our students from achieving their qualification.

We were made very welcome by the local community and the Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council as it is not often that they get opportunities like this and they certainly appreciated that we made the effort to provide training in their local environment.

For more about this successful training event, click on the YouTube link.

Geoff Harvey, National Training, Certification and Marketing Manager

35 YEARS SINCE AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CID When the Australian Irrigation Association was formed in 1983, one of its aims was to implement a system that recognised best practice in the industry and that could be used by clients as a way of identifying professionals with high-level skills and knowledge. The system it settled on was certification.

From its modest beginnings in the 1990s, the association’s certification program has expanded from recognising irrigation designers to now cover the industry’s major sectors, and is well on the way to realising its goal of a future where all irrigation systems are: • developed by certified irrigation designers • installed by certified irrigation contractors or installers • run by certified irrigation operators or managers • based on product advice from certified irrigation retailers and agronomists.

Recently we were contacted by Graeme Zanoni, business partner with Rod Doyle in the Nutrien Water store in Mildura.

Both Rod and Graeme are long-time members of Irrigation Australia (and IAA before that) and, as Graeme explained, Rod has just had a special anniversary. May this year marks 35 years since he became the first Australian irrigation industry professional to sit the CID exams in the US and pass.

At that time, Rod was working with Sunray Irrigation in Mildura and, due to his experience of being a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia, decided that there should be some way of formally recognising the skills needed to operate in the irrigation industry. At that time, there was no way of doing this in Australia. A family holiday to the United States provided the answer, and Rod took the opportunity to sit a CID exam at the head office of IA based in Arlington in Virginia and passed.

“That’s how he became, on 12 March 1986, the first ever Aussie to sit the exams and pass to become our first Certified Irrigation Designer,” said Graeme, who followed Rod the next year and became Australia’s second CID at the age of 21.

Other industry members followed their example and subsequently travelled to the States to complete the CID exams.

Fortunately, the fact that Australia now had CIDs meant that the United States Irrigation Association consented to exams being held here rather than industry members having to travel there. As Graeme explained, the IA only allowed people who were already certified to hand out exam papers and supervise the exams.

“I supervised and handed out the first-ever round of papers in the country – in Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne – and about six months later Rod did the second round. We then had people in each state who could also supervise exams.

“All of this was done in the days before mobile phones and the internet, so there was a bit of planning involved,” said Graeme.

From these beginnings, Irrigation Australia and its members have built a credible, home-grown program that recognises the skills and knowledge and is supporting professionalism in the industry.

Irrigation Australia now has 117 certified irrigation designers (CIDs) and 639 certified irrigation professional (CIPs) registered and supporting our certification program across 11 certification disciplines.

Congratulations to both Rod and Graeme for getting the ball rolling in the 1980s.

Australia’s first CIDs More candidates from the irrigation industry followed Rod and Graeme and received their CID qualification later in 1995.

Robert Aitken

Ralph Hiscox

Daniel Ferguson

Richard James

Darren Ferber

Allan McLucas

John Gransbury

Dennis Sparrow

For more information about becoming a certified irrigation professional go to the Irrigation Australia website.

IRRIGATION TRAINING INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Check out Irrigation Australia’s new training course booklet.

This comprehensive publication provides essential details on training courses offered by Irrigation Australia.

• Certificate III in Irrigation Technology • Certificate IV in Irrigation Management • Centre Pivot and Lateral Move • Meter Installation and Validation • Introduction to Irrigation | Agriculture • Introduction to Irrigation | Urban • Irrigation Pumps and Systems • Irrigation Efficiency • Urban Irrigation Design • Commercial Irrigation Design • IRRICAD Design • Irrigation Installer • Storage Meter Installation and Validation

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PETER TALKS METERS Demand for installation of pattern approved water meters has picked up, with many suppliers reporting it is hard to keep up with demand. This is a good sign and probably reflects the greater availability of irrigation water because of the extensive rain over the past year, especially the past few months.

Audits of submitted meter validation certificates in the Murray-Darling Basin jurisdictions have recommenced with a batch from Queensland received recently, and MoUs with some jurisdictions are now in place. The aim of these audits is to maintain a professional standard in the work submitted

by CMIs. Where necessary, CMIs will receive feedback on any issues to support them in their practice.

If you are in NSW or South Australia, ensure that you are using the uniquely numbered tamper-evident seals supplied only by Irrigation Australia. Some CMIs are using seals they obtained before these states made this a requirement, which took effect in May 2020. If this affects you, buy some seals as soon as possible from the Irrigation Australia web store.

Incorrect seals that have been fitted since 1 April 2019 might need to be replaced with the approved items.

Professional development CMIs and CSVs are reminded of their obligation to maintain their certification with appropriate professional development activities totalling at least 10 CPD points every two years. Examples of activities include completed meter installations, attending an Irrigation Australia conference, regional meeting or member event, undertaking training from meter manufacturers, completing Irrigation Australia online training and gaining a new certification.

For a complete list of relevant activities and their points values, download this document from the Irrigation Australia website.

Training. Demand for the CMI training course continues to be high, and delivery by both virtual technology and face-toface events have resumed. The CSV course has so far been delivered in person. For details on upcoming courses go to the

Irrigation Australia website

• 1 July 2022: less than 1,000 ML or 1,000 ML or greater and used less often than one year in seven, on average.

For more information see the article "Future directions for floodplain licensing in NSW" on page 42.

There are now 28 CSVs listed on the Irrigation Australia website. If you are interested in becoming a CSV, you can access details of the training and certification from the Irrigation Australia website.

DQP portal. WaterNSW continues to improve the DQP portal. Many issues have been progressively addressed and a major upgrade is due in May, with a training session to follow in June. If you encounter any difficulties, contact WaterNSW using this email address. The more you let them know of issues, the better able they are to fix them up.

One issue that has emerged is incorrect scaling factors entered into the DQP Portal in NSW. Many instances of incorrect scaling factors have been reported by WaterNSW, which creates problems for them and the water entitlement holder as the record of water use can be very inaccurate.

Fixing the issue is not easy and may result in extra costs.

DQPs, please pay careful attention to ascertaining the correct scaling factor for any meter you install and make sure that that the right figure is put into the DQP Portal.

News In NSW, the number of approved data logging and telemetry devices, or ‘local intelligence devices’ (LIDs), continues to increase. The latest list can be downloaded from the NSW

Department of Industry website Irrigation Australia maintains copies or links to metering documentation for each jurisdiction, so it is a one-stop-shop for your convenience. These web pages have recently been revamped and some documents updated. Take a look at the jurisdictions where you are active and ensure you keep up to date with changes in state policies and regulations.

Information For information about metering or if you have any metering issues or questions, contact Peter Smith at email metergovernance@irrigation.org.au, or phone 0455 973 780.

Around the states In a recent development, the NSW Upper House blocked the floodplain harvesting regulations and we are waiting for new information from the NSW government. It is still necessary for the meters to be installed, so landholders need to contact a certified storage meter installer and validator (CSV), qualified surveyor or a telemetry technician to install approved telemetry-enabled metering equipment.

The two key rollout dates that were to apply before the Upper House disallowment were: • 1 July 2021: 1,000 ML or greater and used more often than one year in seven, on average

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NEW METERING FORUM Have you checked out the new Metering Forum on the Irrigation Australia website? The forum contains a lot of information on metering, including for floodplain harvesting. Access is open to all and subscription is free. Subscribers can also ask a question and we will find you the answer. If you subscribe you will also be notified when a new post is made. This site is recommended for all CMIs and DQPs. Peter Smith, Metering Governance Officer, Irrigation Australia

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE KEY TO GROWTH Think Water Smithton is a locally owned irrigation business based in Smithton in Tasmania’s north-west. Its owners, Conrad Odgers and Jodie Wainwright, have invested in building the business and this effort has been rewarded by them winning the Think Water Franchise of the Year for three years in a row from 2017 to 2019.

Irrigation Australia spoke with Jodie for her take on what they have done to stand out from the crowd and the challenges of and opportunities in running an irrigation business in Smithton.

IA. Can you tell us a bit about the business?

Jodie. Conrad and I own the business. I have a Cert. II in Business and I run the administration side of things, and Conrad is a welder. There are three field staff: Kane, a boilermaker welder by trade, who completes regular pivot training; Ashley, who has completed an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering; and Kyle, a plumber. We also have an apprentice, Jacob, who’s doing the Cert. III in Irrigation with Irrigation Australia. Our staff regularly complete different courses, including courses run by Irrigation Australia.

IA. You have won the Think Water Franchise of the Year three years in a row. What features of the business have contributed to this great record?

irrigation as such – things like solar systems and house pumps. We do a mixture of installing and upgrading. In winter we tend to do more installing in preparation for summer.

In summer, we do more upgrading; this is the time of year when people realise that their systems need improvements.

IA. Could you describe a typical client as far as rural irrigation is concerned, and what is the potential for expansion of irrigation?

Jodie. We do a mixture of new and expansion, but a typical client is someone who’s been in the business for a few years and they know what they want. They come to us and together we work out the details of exactly what’s needed for their situation. There’s certainly a lot of potential for expansion as we’re seeing many smaller farms being bought by corporate owners and joined together.

IA. Have you noticed any changes or new trends as far as your clients are concerned?

Jodie. The main change we’ve noticed is that smaller farms are disappearing and there are more large corporate farms, but in terms of how that affects our business, it’s hard to say.

IA. Getting you your crystal ball, what is your prediction for business conditions for the rest of 2021?

Jodie. If the remainder of 2021 continues the way it has been, we should see all areas of agriculture in our region performing well, which helps our business.

Jodie. We make an effort to support Think Water’s preferred suppliers and we’ve seen huge sales growth every year.

We really know our products, and customers comment on our friendly and knowledgeable service – great service is definitely something we pride ourselves on! We’re also committed to the Think Water brand; we participate in their surveys and we do lots of promotion on social media as well as in store.

IA. You work across a range of irrigation. What are the types of jobs that you deal with most in the industrial urban and rural sectors: upgrading or installing new systems? And are they mainly the same or a range of different types?

Jodie. Our jobs range from small garden irrigation systems through to pivot irrigation for large farms. Most of our business comes from smaller domestic jobs, rather than

Conrad Odgers and Jodie Wainwright of Think Water Smithton Eve White, White Editing

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BIG ISSUE FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR FLOODPLAIN LICENSING IN NSW SNAPSHOT

with potential damaging consequences for the same wider Basin interests promoted by disallowance advocates.

• The NSW Legislative Council has disallowed floodplain harvesting regulations for a second time

Evolving the shape of proposed FPH licensing

• Dedicated FPH legislation enacted by Parliament is now likely • Metering and measurement will continue to be a key compliance requirement under future FPH licensing

Floodplain regulation disallowance New arrangements for floodplain water harvesting (FPH) in New South Wales have been delayed after a disallowance motion on 6 May 2021 in the NSW Legislative Council.

The regulations were intended to support dedicated water access licencing for floodplain harvesting from 1 July 2021.

Despite repeated attempts to start the new regulations in 2020 and 2021, DPIE, the department responsible, has been unsuccessful in garnering enough community and political support to avoid disallowance in the Upper House.

The sticking points have been based on subordinate legislation legitimising existing FPH works in the northern Basin and adding a layer of targeted access licensing.

The strategy enjoyed only partial support from industry and regional interests and met opposition, including on the basis that the regulations could inhibit water flow downstream, contrary to National Water Initiative principles and wider Basin goals.

Of particular concern to critics have been limitations in the modelling intended to guide ministerial determinations of FPH allowances in access licences, a perceived ability for users to take as much as 500 per cent of annual entitlement in some circumstances, and the exemption from control of rainfall collection via irrigation tailwater structures.

Of equal concern to critics of the regulations has been side-stepping of Parliament’s sovereignty and the scrutiny that accompanies passage of bills for acts. The regulations, it has been pointed out, are created by the executive branch of government and are not able to be debated or amended in the House, leaving disallowance as the only method of engaging with potential problems.

Looking ahead, instead of a third attempt to deal with FPH by way of departmentally initiated regulations, risking a third disallowance, there is now a strong possibility that FPH regulation will be dealt with by preparation of a dedicated FPH Bill. The alternative, argued by the regulations’ supporters to be a significant risk resulting from disallowance, would be to leave FPH effectively unregulated,

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A fresh approach to updating FPH licensing rules is now unavoidable and developing new legislation will necessarily involve critical review of the rules drafted so far.

Key elements of the stalled new regime likely to undergo include arrangements for the share component of floodplain harvesting licences, certification of works and measurement of floodplain water take, and whether exemption for rainfall runoff collection via irrigation tailwater drains is desirable.

Rules for these areas were part of the regulations published on 30 April 2021, comprising three separate statutory instruments made up of a licensing regulation, a metering regulation and an irrigation run-off exemption.

Licensing regulation. The licencing regulation sets out floodplain licence eligibility requirements and how the licence share component is determined by the minister.

The categories of replacement floodplain harvesting access licence are ‘floodplain harvesting (regulated river)’ and ‘floodplain harvesting (unregulated river)’.

To be eligible for FPH licencing, the landholder must have held a relevant approval on 3 July 2008 and the supply works by which the floodplain water is harvested on the landholder’s land must have been constructed and approved as at 3 July 2008, or otherwise not have been required to be approved at that time, or a complying application for approval must have been submitted but not yet determined, at that date.

For regulated river access, ministerial determination of the share component of the licence is performed by applying three models: • Current conditions model, which is used to determine the percentage (if any) by which the estimated volume of water used by all water supply works for the water source must be reduced to comply with the long-term average annual extraction limit.

• Eligible water supply works scenario model, which is used to determine the estimated volume of water that is capable of being used by the landholder’s works and all supply works for the water source.

• Plan limit compliance scenario model, used to ensure that if an adjustment is required to ensure the long-term average annual extraction limit or the floodplain harvesting part of the limit, is not exceeded, the adjustment is proportionately allocated to each landholder who has an eligible water supply work for the water source.

AROUND INDUSTRY Where the landholder’s existing licensing includes a regulated and an unregulated river access licence, the minister would deduct the share component of the unregulated river access licence from the proposed share component of the replacement floodplain harvesting access licence. This would not include Barwon-Darling unregulated river access licences.

If the existing licence is for unregulated river or bore access, a different approach would be taken to share determination. In these circumstances, the ‘authorised area’ would be deducted from the ‘maximum crop area’ and the result multiplied by the ‘crop conversion rate’ for the crop grown in the relevant year, and the metered bore use deducted from that result at the rate of 1 ML per unit share.

Metering regulation. The metering regulation contains a significant amount of compliance detail. The requirements include measurement conditions for floodplain take, both where there is a regulated or unregulated river access licence in place and for basic landholder rights.

It would be mandatory that point-of-intake and storage metering and recording equipment be used, and water could not be taken outside a notified measurement period.

Equipment can only be certified by a duly qualified person.

Irrigation run-off exemption. The irrigation run-off exemption exempts landholders from the need for a water supply work approval and a water access licence, when using a tailwater drain to collect rainfall run-off from an irrigated field.

Exemption from the need for an access licence does not apply if overland flow water is also being taken via another water supply work in addition to an irrigation tailwater drain.

Next steps Following the most recent disallowance, Parliament will consider establishment of a committee of inquiry into the licencing of FPH and the scope of desirable regulation, which will engage with, necessarily, NSW legislated water plans. In principle, NSW Parliament may ultimately achieve consensus in NSW where the Executive has not, but until community confidence in the multi-jurisdiction National Water Initiative has been renewed, a fundamental issue identified by the Productivity Commission in its February 2021 National Water Reform 2020 Draft Report, consensus on FPH may be a long time coming.

SWAN SYSTEMS WINS INTERNATIONAL AGTECH AWARD Perth agritech startup, SWAN Systems, has received global recognition at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! Pitch 2020 agtech winner for its decision support software that provides a ‘data playbook’ for users to save water year-on-year and achieve better yields at lower costs.

The software developed by SWAN Systems, a relatively young company started in 2016, is designed to help water users apply the right amount of water and nutrients at the right time for optimal plant growth, using data from a variety of field and forecasting devices.

FoodBytes! is an international program run by the global food and agriculture financier Rabobank that showcases food and agritech startup companies to corporate leaders, investors and the wider market. Competition winners in three different categories - Consumer Food and Beverage (CPG), Food Tech and Agtech - each received $10,000 and consulting support to contribute to their business growth.

There were more than 300 applications for the FoodBytes program.

According to SWAN Systems’ chairman Rod Campbell, the company developed a pitch looking to raise $5 million. As a result, they are talking with with specialised venture capital providers in the United States that have an appreciation of agtech and patient capital.

Patient capital, also known as long-term capital, means investors are willing to wait for long-term returns – a key ingredient for startups during seed-stage funding rounds.

Already new customers have emerged as a result of SWAN Systems winning the Rabobank award.

SWAN’s adaptability was a winning feature, according to Nathalie Gibson, Head of Innovation, Knowledge and Networks for Rabobank’s FoodBytes!, noting that the technology is highly scalable, hardware agnostic and has significant potential for collaboration across the industry.

Source. EvokeAg website. Accessed 19 April 2021.

Information Jeremy Fisher E: jeremyfisher@ kingfisherlaw.com.au P: 1300 529 424 SWAN Systems recently received global recognition as a result of winning the Agtech category in Rabobank’s FoodBytes! Pitch 2020 awards.

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ARTICLE WATER AUTHORITIES DEAL WITH ASBESTOS-CEMENT PIPE LEGACY SNAPSHOT • While polyethylene and PVC pipes are used now by water authorities and the irrigation industry, until the 1990s, asbestos cement (AC) pipes were an option • A 2011 audit of AC pipes in the ground in towns and cities found that there were about 40,000 km of pipe in the ground for potable supply and about 5,000 km for sewage • A working group has developed nationally consistent guidelines on how to eliminate or minimise the risk of asbestos exposure when working with or removing asbestos-cement water and sewer pipes • One recommendation is to leave AC pipe in the ground when installing new systems, as it is best not to touch or disturb it for human health reasons

Today, polyethylene and PVC pipes are the go-to materials for small diameter pipes for water authorities and for irrigation installers and designers for irrigation lines.

Before the 1990s, however, another option was commonly used, both for urban and rural irrigation high pressure supply, particularly in Victoria – asbestos cement.

While the use of asbestos was banned in Australia in 2003, many industries, particularly in construction and infrastructure development, are managing legacy issues. For urban water authorities, managing asbestoscement pipes in some jurisdictions is a growing expense, especially because much of what is in the ground is deteriorating and is coming to its end of life. Some pipe is still in service, and some has been abandoned and replaced with modern, safer materials such as poly and PVC.

As a result of this recommendation, a Water Pipes Working Group was formed, with membership drawn from government agencies, water authorities, unions and industry.

It was charged with the task of developing nationally consistent guidelines on how to eliminate or minimise the risk of asbestos exposure when working with or removing asbestos-cement water and sewer pipes.

This working group released its report last year, with a final planned for release in the first half of 2021. While the plan is for all state and territory regulatory authorities to endorse the national guidelines, importantly they would not be legally binding and would not change or replace existing regulations for asbestos management and removal rather they complement them.

The draft report was released by the working group for consultation with a final planned for completion before midyear.

ASBESTOS-CEMENT WATER AND SEWER PIPE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Draft for public consultation

History In 2011, the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) completed an audit of asbestos-cement stock in cities and towns and concluded that there was about 40,000 km of pipe in the ground for potable water supply and around 5000 km of sewage pipe.

In 2018, a report prepared for the national Asbestos Safety Eradication Agency (ASEA) described six case studies on managing asbestos-cement water pipe in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia and recommended that a nationally consistent approach to asbestos removal based on best practice was needed to ensure community safety.

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A nationally consistent approach to managing asbestos-cement water and sewer pipes

Legacy issues

Best practice

James Goode, Asset Management Program Coordinator with WSAA and a member of the working group, noted that water utilities typically have good practices for locating buried water pipes.

In 2016 WSAA completed a report called Pipe risk management for guidelines for renewal methods. This report surveyed water utilities in Australia, the US and UK to determine best practice management of asbestos cement pipe. It found that the best approach to managing buried asbestos pipe was to use a risk assessment to determine the risks from removal and different disposal techniques, and then to select the most appropriate method based on minimising the risks to the community. The regulations in some states, however, have a mandatory requirement for the removal of buried abandoned asbestos pipe.

This is a concern as there is limited ability to dig up all the asbestos pipe currently installed in Australia, and in some cases, it may not be practicable to remove pipe from certain locations. As James noted, the task of disposing of 40,000 km of pipe would also require ‘a hell of a big hole’.

According to James, most asbestos cement pipes were installed between 1957 and 1989, with those installed between 1937 and 1956 more likely fail, most likely due to the pipes reaching the end of their useful life.

There is some thought that water quality, soil and wetness could also affect lifespan. This has implications for the use of bore and recycled water, as pipes transporting water with higher loads of chemicals and impurities may be more susceptible to deterioration, although this theory is untested.

The starting point for best practice is that asbestos-cement pipes be managed to eliminate, as far as possible, exposing people to airborne asbestos fibres. If elimination is not reasonably practicable, the risks, both present and future, must be minimised.

Any risk assessment should take this into account and a hierarchy of control measures developed for a management plan.

According to James, the best policy for some situations will be to leave pipe in the ground, not touch it and replace it by laying new pipe.

CASE STUDY: New main across farming A 7 km section of 150 mm AC main, installed in 1940, was replaced by constructing a new pipeline parallel with a 2 m off-set across rural farming land in southern New South Wales. Both mains were retained within an easement and the pipes are both shown on GIS (Geographic Information System Mapping). All surface fittings were removed from the old AC main and it will remain in the ground, as risk of contact has been determined to be negligible. Both mains have adequate depth to ensure no impact on farming practice, are protected from development by easement and have minimal risk of being struck if pipeline route remains signposted.

Source: Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, Asbestos-cement Water and Sewer Pipe Management Guidelines Draft for Public Consultation, November 2021

This is a concern as there is limited ability to dig up all the asbestos pipe currently installed in Australia, and in some cases, it may not be practicable to remove pipe from certain locations. As James noted, the task of disposing of 40,000 km of pipe would also require ‘a hell of a big hole’.

Messages for irrigation?

In areas where high pressure pipes were installed, either on farm or urban sites such as golf courses, the key message is don’t panic. The main risks occur with asbestos-cement when it is handled or cut.

Speaking with people in the industry, it seems that most pipes have been decommissioned by leaving them in the ground and replaced with poly or PVC. It is also crucial that any pipes that have failed, need repairs or are being added be treated according to relevant state and territory regulations.

There are two key regulators that govern the disposal of asbestos pipe in each state, the environment protection agencies, which control the environmental risks, and WorkSafe, which controls the risk to workers and the public.

Both must be engaged when looking to dispose of asbestos pipe in a safe manner.

Acknowledgments. Thanks to Dr Greg Ryan and James Goode from WSAA for their assistance with writing this article.

Anne Currey and Geoff Connellan

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STATE ROUNDUP SNAPSHOT • $177.5 million for the Goulburn Murray Water (GMW) Water Efficiency Project to upgrade aging off-farm water infrastructure in the Goulburn–Murray Irrigation District • The City of Sydney will spend $377 million on greening the city with the goal to cover 40 per cent of the city in greenery by 2050 • The Tasmanian Government has approved the Don Irrigation Scheme business case, which is part of the state-wide Pipeline to Prosperity irrigation plan • SA Water’s smart irrigation initiative took home the top prize in the Industrial and Primary Production category at the 2021 iTnews Benchmark Awards • In the Northern Territory, Fortune Agribusiness, which is planning to develop a $150 million cattle station, has been granted a license that could extract up to 40 000 ML of groundwater per year • The latest Water Market Outlook from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) shows that water allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin are likely to remain low in 2021–22 compared with the highs in 2019–20

GOULBURN–MURRAY IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE The Federal Government is providing $177.5 million for the Goulburn Murray Water (GMW) Water Efficiency Project to upgrade aging off-farm water infrastructure in the Goulburn–Murray Irrigation District.

The upgrades are expected to generate 15.9 GL of environmental water savings without damaging local economies. More than 250 km of channels will be modernised or decommissioned, and more than 1000 outlets upgraded by 2023. The project is anticipated to create hundreds of full-time jobs during the construction phase.

The Goulburn–Murray Irrigation District accounts for more than 70 per cent of all water stored in Victoria and around 90 per cent of water used for irrigation purposes across the state.

To find out more about the project, visit Goulburn–Murray Water https://www.g-mwater.com.au/policy-and-projects/ water-efficiency-project.

Source. Pump Industry website.

PLANNING FOR A GREENER SYDNEY Under a new plan, the City of Sydney will spend $377 million on greening the city. At least 700 street trees will be planted each year and greener buildings will be created. The goal is to cover 40 per cent of the city in greenery by 2050.

Greening Sydney 2030 sets the directions, targets and actions for greening, including ambitious canopy targets and innovative plans to increase green roofs and walls and streetscape gardening.

Species that are hardy and resilient to the changing climate will be planted, with the aim of helping the city adapt to climate change. Effective canopy cover can reduce temperatures on the ground by up to 10 degrees.

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Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the plan builds on the achievements of the City’s first greening strategy, Greening Sydney 2012, which made the City one of the only councils in the country to increase its canopy cover over the past decade.

“Trees remove thousands of tonnes of pollution from our air, store carbon and help mitigate extreme weather, while also relieving stress, depression and anxiety. It is critical that we value everything our broad urban forest and greenery can do for us, and invest heavily in it,” Moore said.

To achieve its targets, Greening Sydney 2030 sets out 20 priority actions. These focus on greening laneways, roofs and walls; planning for greening on private land; limiting tree removal (and when it is essential, compensating for it); working with the community and local Aboriginal groups; and ensuring that the greening is distributed fairly across the city.

Source. City of Sydney website.

NEW IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN THE PIPELINE FOR TASMANIA The Tasmanian Government has approved the Don Irrigation Scheme business case, which is part of the state-wide Pipeline to Prosperity irrigation plan. Construction will begin this year.

The scheme will provide 4,750 ML of high-surety summer irrigation water to farmers in Tasmania’s north-west. It is expected to create 135 jobs on farms and associated businesses, and additional jobs during construction.

The state government is also working with the Australian Government to secure funding to deliver phase two, which will include the South-East and Southern Midlands irrigation schemes.

When completed, the Pipeline to Prosperity plan is expected to provide almost 78,000 ML of water, create up to 2,600 fulltime jobs, trigger an additional $150 million in on-farm private investment and inject $114 million each year into the sector.

AWARD FOR SA WATER'S SMART IRRIGATION INITIATIVE SA Water’s smart irrigation initiative took home the top prize in the Industrial and Primary Production category at the 2021 iTnews Benchmark Awards, which celebrate innovative IT projects in large end-user organisations.

The smart irrigation scheme, which has been running for about two years, helps councils to determine when to irrigate public spaces and how much water to use. It was created after research identified that many public green open spaces were being over-watered by around 20 per cent.

The system uses real-time data from an integrated system of soil moisture probes, daily weather forecasts and smart water meters to provide irrigation schedules for 25 council public spaces and playgrounds around Adelaide.

SA Water General Manager of Strategy, Engagement and Innovation Anna Jackson said smart irrigation can save water and money while cooling urban areas. “Through a combination of the smarts of our people and emerging smart technology, we are providing more efficient and affordable services now and into the future,” she said.

SA Water is looking to expand the technology to more locations around South Australia, including regional areas.

Source. Water Careers website.

GIANT WATER LICENCE APPROVED IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY The Northern Territory Water Controller has granted a licence to Fortune Agribusiness, which is planning to develop a $150 million cattle station that could extract up to 40,000 ML of groundwater per year.

The application relates to Singleton Station, whose traditional owners oppose the plan. However, NT Water Controller Jo Townsend laid out the approval of the groundwater licence in four stages.

The first stage allows Fortune Agribusiness to extract 12,788 ML annually over two years from the approval date.

If the company meets its milestones and management conditions, it may progress to subsequent stages, eventually extracting 40,000 ML per year. This would make it the largest single water licence ever issued in the NT. Before it can begin pumping, the company must meet conditions relating to groundwater-dependent ecosystems and map out the entire station on foot. Also required are salinity studies and an adaptive management plan that includes triggers for actions to be taken if the water resource behaves in unanticipated ways. The company is also waiting on land clearing permits, a non-pastoral use permit and a possible probe under the terms of the Environment Protection Act. Source. Water Career website.

WATER ALLOCATION PRICES FORECAST TO REMAIN LOW ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MURRAY–DARLING BASIN IN 2021–22 The latest Water Market Outlook from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) shows that water allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin are likely to remain low in 2021–22 compared with the highs in 2019–20. This is a result of the rainfall accompanying the recent La Nina event, which has led to above-average allocations across the region.

The Water Market Outlook, released on 31 March, provides a range of possible prices for 2021–22 under different seasonal conditions. Even if conditions are dry, prices are expected to remain relatively low, owing to the volume of water carried over into 2021–22.

The latest ABARES Water Market Outlook and accompanying dashboard visualisation can be accessed on the ABARES website.

Source. Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website.

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ARTICLE A METHOD FOR COMPARING DRIPPER PERFORMANCE A fundamental requirement of any dripper is that it delivers an accurate and consistent supply of water over the lifetime of the crop being irrigated. While factors can derail this process, from poor equipment to poor water quality, the fact remains that a good quality dripper will continue to deliver a predetermined flow rate, accurately and constantly, over its lifespan.

In this article, Netafim outlines a way of evaluating and comparing drippers based on applying engineering hydraulic formulas.

Comparing drippers Both the structure of a dripper and features that are designed to keep drippers clean and working are important to dripper performance.

The main structural features of a dripper, such as filtration area and labyrinth depth, width and length, are common to all drippers and are measurable. Design features such as anti-root intrusion and anti-siphon devices are unique to specific drippers and are not measurable.

This article goes through a method of quantifying these common features and formulating a scoring system that allows dripper quality to be compared with that of other drippers. The advantage of this method is that it makes it possible to choose a dripper that best suits a particular application.

The method involves two aspects, as follows: • dripper turbulence coefficient • net filtration area.

Turbulence coefficient A dripper’s structural features are an inlet filter, an inlet orifice, a flow path whose shape is a labyrinth with teeth, an exit ‘bath’ and an orifice made through the wall of the drip line where the water droplet enters the root zone.

The turbulence coefficient includes all these structural features except for the inlet filter. In essence, the higher the turbulence coefficient, the lower the dripper’s sensitivity to clogging and the more it can maintain its constant flow rate over its intended life. This is achieved by the vortexes that develop in the labyrinth that create a self-cleaning stream which purges contaminants out of the dripper.

CALCULATING TURBULENCE COEFFICIENT The turbulence coefficient is calculated using the formula below.

Where: K = turbulence coefficient P = pressure differential through the labyrinth in metres W = width of labyrinth water passage in mm D = depth of labyrinth water passage in mm N = number of teeth in the labyrinth Q= labyrinth flow rate in L/hr Note: 254 is a constant.

Rules of thumb for the effect of a dripper’s structural features on the turbulence coefficient are as follows: • the greater the depth and width of the labyrinth, the better (see example Dripper A) • the shorter the labyrinth, the better (see example Dripper B) • the better the quality and design and manufacture of the dripper, the higher the likelihood of effective differential pressure (see example Dripper C).

Example: Dripper A. For Dripper A, at 10 m pressure, the flow rate is 1.0 L/hr through a labyrinth with 44 teeth and with dimensions of 0.60 mm (W) x 0.59 mm (D). Using the formula, Dripper A’s turbulence coefficient is 7.2.

The labyrinth of a dripper with the exit bath to the right.

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If Dripper A’s depth and width were increased by 0.01 mm to 0.61 mm (W) and 0.60 mm (D) and all other measurements were the same, i.e., the same pressure differential through the same number of teeth still produces a flow rate of 1 L/hr,

the turbulence of the dripper must be greater. Thus, the turbulence coefficient would increase to 7.7.

Example: Dripper B. Dripper B has the same flow rate as Dripper A at the same pressure - 1.0 L/hr at 10 m. Because it has 82 teeth instead of 44, the flow path is longer, thus reducing the turbulence coefficient to 3.7.

It is important to note that the higher the quality of design and manufacture of the labyrinth, especially the teeth, the higher the turbulence coefficient.

Dripper quality score. The dripper quality score (DQ) is a comparative figure that is used to compare two drippers for the same application. The score combines EFA in square millimetres with the turbulence coefficient (see below).

Dripper quality score (DQ) = EFA + K At this point, the exercise becomes subjective. This is because the EFA and K cannot be logically combined by simply adding the two values together as above, as the turbulence coefficient is a dimensionless value but the EFA is a value in mm².

As well, EFA and turbulence coefficient do not necessarily contribute equally to dripper quality.

To overcome this, the score introduces weighting (see equation below).

DG = (W1 x EFA) + (W2 x K) Example: Dripper C. The last feature to measure is the differential pressure through the labyrinth. If all Dripper A’s features remained the same but the pressure differential to achieve 1.0 L/hr increased to 12 m, then the turbulence coefficient would increase from 7.2 to 8.7.

It may not, of course, be desirable to increase the required pressure, in which case to return to the original 10 m pressure with the current labyrinth design, the manufacturer would change the labyrinth dimensions by reducing its length, i.e., reducing the number of teeth. This is because fewer teeth result in a higher turbulence coefficient.

Keeping all other measurements the same and only increasing the pressure differential as with Dripper C can only be achieved by dripper design and manufacture. It is a fact that the higher the quality and precision of manufacture, the shorter the flow path will be. Conversely, the lower the quality and precision of manufacture, the longer the flow path will be necessary to achieve the same pressure differential.

A shorter flow path means that there is less of a path to become clogged. More important, however, is that a shorter flow path indicates stronger turbulence and therefore better resistance to clogging.

Effective filtration area At the entrance to a dripper’s labyrinth is a filter whose total area is usually larger than the labyrinth’s width x depth dimensions. It is a common belief that the true filtering area is the total area of the inlets. However, the size of the dripper filter is not necessarily an indication of the real filtering area.

The effective filtration area is the area that the water passes through on its way to the dripper labyrinth. It is this value that is used to calculate effective filtration area (EFA), in mm².

W1 - Filtration area weight factor W2 – Turbulence coefficient weight factor

The value of these two weighting factors is assigned by the user doing the comparison. The EFA is usually a value between 10 and 100 mm² and the turbulence coefficient, a value between 1 and 10. Numerically, EFA is generally ten times that of turbulence coefficient.

To bring them into line and treat them as contributing equally to dripper quality, it would be reasonable to choose their values as: W1 = 1 Filtration area weight factor W2 = 10 Turbulence coefficient weight factor Example: Comparing Dripper A with Dripper C and new Dripper E. All three of these are 1.0 L/hr drippers but have different EFAs and turbulence coefficients.

A: EFA = 24.0 mm², K = 7.2 Dripper

C: EFA = 47.2 mm², K = 3.9 E: EFA = 36.3 mm², K = 2.4

By applying the same weight to EFA and K for the three drippers, the following will be the result A: DQ = (1 x 24) + (10 x 7.2) = 96.3 Dripper

C: DQ = (1 x 47.2) + (10 x 3.9) = 86.2 E: DQ = (1 x 36.3) + (10 x 2.4) = 60.3

This means that if we decide that ETA and K contribute equally to dripper quality, then Dripper A scores the best.

If we decide that the EFA contributes much more to dripper quality than K, say double, then the weight for EFA would be 2 instead of 1.

W1 = 2 Filtration area weight factor W2 = 10 Turbulence coefficient weight factor The above result would then change, as follows:

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ARTICLE A: DQ = (2 x 24) + (10 x 7.2) = 120.3 Dripper

C: DQ = (2 x 47.2) + (10 x 3.9) = 133.3 E: DQ = (2 x 36.3) + (10 x 2.4) = 96.6

In this case, Dripper C with a larger EFA but lower K than Dripper A scores best, because of its EFA, but Dripper E, which also has a larger EFA than Dripper A, does not score higher because its turbulence coefficient is not high enough.

If we decide that K contributes more to dripper quality than EFA and weight it accordingly, then we could double its original weighting from 10 to 20.

W1 = 1 Filtration area weight factor W2 = 20 Turbulence coefficient weight factor The calculations would be as follows: A: DQ = (1 x 24) + (20 x 7.2) = 168.7 Dripper

C: DQ = (1 x 47.2) + (20 x 3.9) = 125.2 E: DQ = (1 x 36.3) + (20 x 2.4) = 84.3

Dripper A has a much higher K score, as expected, making the ranking the same as when the two weighting factors were more even.

Classes of drippers When comparing one dripper with others, it is also important that they all be from the same class. There are four classes, as follows: Class 1: high-end pressure-compensating dripper.

These are drippers that would typically be used for longer than ten years in orchards and the like, over varying terrain, slopes and long distances, as well as with water of questionable quality Class 2: standard pressure-compensating dripper.

Similar to Class 1, but the required lifetime may not be as long: ten years or less, e.g. subsurface drip on sugar cane.

(Dripper F is a Class 2 dripper.)

Class 3: high-end non-pressure compensating dripper.

Similar to Class 1 for lifetime (ten years or more), but without the ability to handle slopes, distances and questionable water quality.

Class 4: regular non-pressure compensating dripper.

Similar to Class 3, but are only required to last a few growing seasons, i.e. less than ten years. (Drippers A, C and E are Class 4 drippers.)

In the previous example comparing drippers A, C, E and F, Dripper F is a high-end dripper. Its output is still 1.0 L/hr, but its labyrinth is so short that it has only 11 teeth and its turbulence coefficient is 9.3. It has a large EFA of 42 mm².

If we weight the comparison calculation with approximately equal contributions to dripper quality, Dripper F wins hands down.

W1 = 1 Filtration area weight factor W2 = 10 Turbulence coefficient weight factor

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When comparing different drippers it is important to make sure they are from the same class based on parameters such as how many seasons they will be used for, slope, distance and water quality

The calculations would be as follows: A: DQ = (1 x 24) + (20 x 7.2) = 168.7 Dripper

C: DQ = (1 x 47.2) + (20 x 3.9) = 125.2 E: DQ = (1 x 36.3) + (20 x 2.4) = 84.3 F: DQ = (1 x 42) + (10 x 9.3) = 134.8

Dripper F is a pressure-compensating dripper intended to irrigate a field crop over a five- to ten-year period, while the other three are non-pressure-compensating drippers that are intended to irrigate a field crop for no more than two or three seasons.

This is where the application and crop are important considerations. There would be no reason to consider Dripper F in comparison to the other three drippers if it were being used, for example, for a few seasons of vegetables.

This is, unless Dripper F was less expensive, which is highly unlikely given that it is pressure-compensating.

Comparing equals It is necessary to have a system of defined dripper classes and only compare scores within a given class. Such a system of quantifying a dripper’s quality and using that measurement for a specific situation, as defined by the class, allows you to compare apples with apples. Or rather, drippers with drippers.

Constructing a calculator would be the next logical step, where a user simply inputs the parameters as defined above for as many drippers as they choose to compare, and a score is immediately calculated.

Acknowledgment. This article was provided by Netafim Australia. It was previously published in SABI Magazine, Vol 11:5 2019.

BUSINESS ENERGY SAVINGS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES If you run a small business, you might be able to save thousands of dollars each year by improving energy efficiency. The Business Energy Advice Program (BEAP), funded by the Australian Government and run by Business Australia, provides free advice about how to do this.

Who is eligible?

Australian businesses with between 6 and 20 employees, or drought-affected businesses with fewer than six employees, are eligible for free consultations.

What does it involve?

The service involves a phone conversation with a business specialist who will assess your energy consumption and provide a detailed report with practical, tailored recommendations to help you improve energy efficiency and save money. A consultation typically takes 20 to 30 minutes.

you could save by moving to a flexible-rate tariff. If your busy time runs through the peak period, you might save money with a flat-rate plan.

How to access local grants. Grants may be available to help you pay for the installation, upgrade or replacement of energy-saving equipment. BEAP can advise you about this.

Energy efficiency means using less energy to achieve the same outcomes, thereby reducing energy costs.

There are many ways you can achieve this, but it can be time-consuming and complicated to try to work out what changes will make a difference to your business. This is where professional advice can help.

Information. For more information, call 1300 415 224 or visit BEAP’s website.

What kind of advice can you expect?

Depending on your situation, you might be given advice on things like: Changing habits or routines. For example, in an office, switching off equipment when not in use can result in significant energy savings. If your business operates heavy equipment, consider running it during off-peak hours when energy prices are lower.

Lighting. Changing lightbulbs to more efficient LEDs, using motion sensor lights, and turning off lights at the end of trading can all add up to big savings.

Heating, cooling and ventilation. In many workplaces, heating, cooling and ventilation systems can account for 40 to 50 per cent of the total energy bill. Every degree above 20 degrees on your thermostat can add 10 per cent to your heating bill. BEAP can provide tailored advice about this and they offer general tips here.

Upgrading or servicing appliances and equipment.

This can be as simple as replacing seals on fridges or as big as replacing office or factory machinery.

Changing energy providers. Business Australia Energy provides a tool to help you compare and switch providers.

The service is free and even the paperwork is taken care of for you.

Switching to a different tariff. A tariff is the way you get charged for your usage on your energy bill. There are two main tariffs: flat rate, where you pay a fixed rate for energy, no matter when you use it; and flexible rate, where what you pay for energy varies depending on when you use it. If most of your energy usage happens at off-peak times,

Incorporating habits such as switching off lights and appliances at power points when they are not in use can add to significant energy savings.

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NEW PRODUCTS FORESIIGHT BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE – CUSTOMISED FOR THE IRRIGATION INDUSTRY Foresiight have been helping Australian irrigation and pumping supply businesses with their customised business management software ProfiitPlus since 1981. From their head office in Brisbane, they work with irrigation businesses throughout Australia.

If you are struggling to find a business management system with the industry-specific features you need at a price that suits your budget, Foresiight’s software ProfiitPlus might be exactly what you are looking for.

Some of the features of ProfiitPlus include: • support for poly pipe and other products sold by the roll and by the metre • simple kits and manufacturing with bill of materials • job manager module to schedule and track repairs and installations • mobile job cards and SMS notifications to keep in touch with your customers • special buy-ins to easily link your purchase orders to customer orders or jobs

• advanced quotes to present professional looking proposals and win those higher value projects.

Foresiight General Manager Steve Williamson says: “The requirements of the irrigation supply industry are unique.

We have businesses that not only carry a large and complex inventory, but also are heavily service focused. It takes specialised knowledge to supply, install and repair pumping and irrigation systems – and you need specialised business software to support that.”

It’s Foresiight’s approach that is progressive and sets them apart. The team believe that an innovative approach to the way that businesses manage and integrate sales, control stock and perform accounting functions is crucial for a business to grow. They believe in “information innovation” and even incorporated it into their name – note the double “i”.

Information. Go to the Foresiight website.

SENNINGER NEW FILTER REGULATOR FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PIVOT IRRIGATION Senninger’s new, all-in-one filter regulator helps prevent clogging of the small nozzles on the first few spans of a center pivot. This solution integrates filtration and pressure regulation in one product to provide economy, convenience and help ensure optimal system performance. It combines the reliability of Senninger’s black and white pressure regulators with the choice of screen models based on nozzle size to help keep your irrigation system operating efficiently.

Growers can easily access the filter screens with just a twist of the bonnet. They do not need tools, nor do they need to dismantle the drop components.

The new Senninger filter regulator uses field proven PSR®2 internal components for reliability, while the use of stainlesssteel mesh screens ensures durability.

Replacement filter screens come with color-coded rubber seals to readily identify mesh size: 20 mesh (black), 30 mesh (green), 40 mesh (grey). Three pressure models –6, 10, and 15 psi– cover the pressure range for most low-pressure sprinklers.

Information. Go to the Senninger website.

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Centre of Irrigation Excellence Irrigation Australia recognises and appreciates the support of the following leading irrigation suppliers for our Centre of Irrigation Excellence. Without their support this venture would not have been possible.

An online platform that promotes • • • •

Industry training and qualifications Certifications Irrigation career pathways Industry knowledge

www.coie.com.au

Australian owned company and one of the country’s largest national suppliers of industrial pvc hoses, industrial ball valves and fittings.

Providing a full range of pumps and pumping solutions from small domestic pressure systems to large industrial process pumps.

A global company providing quality solutions for landscape irrigation for residential & commercial applications.

Australian owned and operated pipe and fittings manufacturing business with manufacturing and distribution capabilities in all states

Isuzu is the leading manufacturer and innovator of outstanding industrial diesel engines producing more than 1 million engines annually.

Distributor of premium irrigation equipment for the Australian agricultural, landscape, golf and mining industries.

The world leader in smart drip and micro-irrigation for agriculture and landscape application providing solutions for a sustainable future.

A global company designing and manufacturing fittings and valves, providing cost-effective solutions for the transfer & application of water.

A worldwide supplier of irrigation products to the landscape, agricultural, turf care and domestic garden markets.

A worldwide leader in precision irrigation. The Valley brand of Centre pivots provide solutions for meeting the growing demand for food.

The leader in manufacturing and supplying quality PVC, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), ductile (DICL) and industrial pipe systems.

IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA OFFICE PO Box 13, Cannon Hill, Queensland 4170 T 1300 949 891 or 07 3517 4000 F 07 3517 4010 W www.irrigationaustralia.com.au CEO: Bryan Ward E bryan.ward@irrigation.org.au EDITORIAL Editor | ANNE CURREY E anne@naturallyresourceful.com.au ADVERTISING BCB Media | Managing Director | Brian Rault T 0411 354 050 E brian.rault@bcbmedia.com.au DESIGN & PRODUCTION Uber Creative | Director | Annette Epifanidis T 03 8516 4717 E connect@ubercreative.com.au

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