Overflow Magazine Winter 2021

Quarterly Publication of Irrigation Australia (WA Region)

NO. 65 WINTER 2021

IN THIS ISSUE 2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo Showcase

Climate change effects on streamflow, dams & catchments

Working together all part of the Plan

Water and fertiliser use efficiency improvement

Bunbury Golf Club’s upgrade plans expedited

Wicking beds a smart solution for turf irrigation

The lesser known benefits of wetting agents

Water salinity and plant irrigation

Keep up-to-date with irrigation in Australia, visit the IAL website at www.irrigationaustralia.com.au

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Mark Your Diary

8 9 14 20 Climate Change and its effect on streamflow, dams & catchments Water and fertiliser use efficiency improvement Connecting with customers – New customer essentials training at Water Corporation Wicking beds provide a smart solution for turf irrigation using stormwater Water salinity and plant irrigation Cover: VegetablesWA RDO and project collaborator at soil moisture monitoring site - refer pg 28

National Contacts Bryan Ward - Chief Executive Officer Geoff Harvey - National Training & Marketing Manager Marike Froneman - Accountant (part time) Andres Jaramillo - Training and Certification Officer Chris Delphin - Business Administration Manager Kahla McKinless - Training & Certification Assistant Tracy Martin - National Membership & Regions Manager Natalie Bergman - Business Admin & Support Services

24 28

30

August 2021 2-4

Irrigation Efficiency Course (virtual)

9-12

Commercial Irrigation Design (virtual)

9

Certificate III in Irrigation Technology – Block 1 commences (virtual*) *Blocks 3 & 4 sessions must be attended in-person in South Australia

16

Certificate IV in Irrigation Management – Block 1 commences (virtual)

19

Basics in Drip Irrigation – half-day (virtual)

25

2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo

September 2021 27-29

Irrigation Pumps & Systems (virtual)

28-29

Basics of Wiring & Electrical Troubleshooting

October 2021 5-8

Urban Irrigation Design

32

19-21

Meter Validation & Installation

34

17-19 &

November 2021 24-25

IRRICAD Design Course

For further information please visit: www.coie.com.au

WA Contacts bryan.ward@irrigation.org.au geoff.harvey@irrigation.org.au marike.froneman@irrigation.org.au andres.jaramillo@irrigation.org.au c hris.delphin@irrigation.org.au kahla.mckinless@irrigation.org.au tracy.martin@irrigation.org.au natalie.bergman@irrigation.org.au

Rebecca New – IALWA Administration Support (08) 6263 7774 email: adminsupport@irrigation.org.au Ellen Slobe – IAL WA Projects Officer (08) 6263 7774 Mobile: 0458 291 643 email: ellen.slobe@irrigation.org.au

Authorised sprinkler testing signs If you are testing a system outside of water rostering hours, as a gardening industry professional, you are not required to register for an exemption with the Water Corporation. However, to promote that you are doing authorized work and avoid a possible infringement, you might like to have a sign clearly displayed at the front of the property. These signs are available from the IAL (WA).

Now available in Magnetic $95ea non-members or $65ea for IAL Members All signs approximately 400mm x 300mm.

To download the order form please click here.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

Chairman's Report

From the CEO Bryan Ward

Clinton Hort

Welcome to this Winter issue of The Overflow.

At the time of writing, more than half of Australia’s population is in lockdown, whilst Western Australia is in the enviable position of having no imposed restrictions other than unnecessary interstate travel.

With much planning already going into the 2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo, we hope that the event will not be adversely affected. However, the team do have alternative plans in place should issues arise.

The past few months have seen exciting initiatives announced, including the Waterwise Councils irrigation training reported in this edition.

Congratulations to the Department of Water & Environmental Regulation, and Water Corporation for this significant step to developing the skills of those maintaining WA’s public open space.

With government focus on groundwater resources in the face of climate change, the irrigation industry is certainly in the spotlight at the moment, with other initiatives reportedly on the horizon for the domestic sector.

It has been a very busy time since our last report, in addition to the planning and management of the Waterwise Expo, with the additional challenge of bringing a COVID safe event to WA, the Irrigation Australia team have been actively involved in a number of other substantial issues including: • Organisation of a further two Water Use Efficiency Field Days in conjunction with Australia Mangoes in Bowen and Mareeba QLD. These events follow on from the previous two field days held in Darwin & Katherine.

• Planning for a South-East Queensland regional event at Azalea Grove Nursery in Redland Bay originally to be held in July, now postponed to September.

• Participating with the Plastic Pipe Industry Association (PIPA), the Australian Industry Group (AIG) and the Plumbing Products Industry Group (PPIG) on shared industry concerns with regulations in South Australia on the use of lilac coloured piping for non-recycled water.

• Organisation of two international webinars in July in conjunction with ICID on Organisation of Irrigation Automation Systems and Rainwater Harvesting.

• Submission of a proposal to the Department of Agriculture Water & Environment for an Irrigation Modernisation project in India.

Undoubtedly, now is an exciting time of opportunity to highlight the innovative and effective practices and products our industry can offer to maintain thriving green spaces in the community and protect food production into the future. We look forward to seeing many of those exhibited at the Expo in August.

• In conjunction with Encanta Event Management, continued our project work on the rescheduled 24th International Congress, 73rd IEC Meeting and the Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition to be held in Adelaide in October 2022.

Enjoy the rest of this edition.

The volatile situation with COVID in most jurisdictions has made planning for the delivery of training courses that require face-to-face learning extremely difficult, and we have had to postpone a number of courses due to travel restrictions and to ensure that courses are delivered in a COVID safe environment. Hopefully, most of these disruptions are timing only and when circumstances permit training will resume as usual.

Clinton Hort IAL (WA) Industry Chairman

The Overflow is the quarterly publication of Irrigation Australia (WA Region). Articles published are views expressed by the authors. IAL(WA) is not responsible for their accuracy and disclaims any liability which may arise from any person acting on the materials contained within. Editorial content does not necessarily represent the views or policy of Irrigation Australia (WA Region)

Publisher/Editor: IAL WA Region, PO Box 3401 Success, WA 6964 Tel: (08) 6263 7774

• Actively worked with state governments in Western Australia, NSW, QLD, and SA on the audit of validation certificates for non-urban water meters.

It never ceases to amaze and impress me how much work and progress our small team at Irrigation Australia achieves under often challenging circumstances and I extend my appreciation for their dedication.

I am looking forward to attending (subject to COVID) what I am sure will be a well-attended and informative Waterwise Expo on 25 August at Crown Perth Conference Centre.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Bryan Ward IAL Chief Executive Officer

The Overflow | Winter 2021

3

Regional Update Tracy Martin - National Membership & Regions Manager and Ellen Slobe - WA Projects Officer

Dear Members, Industry Colleagues and Interested Parties, Welcome to the Winter edition of The Overflow.

After a June with reported 32% belowaverage rainfall, it has been great to see heavy rains this month!

The WA office is now organising the 2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo at Crown Perth Conference Centre, scheduled for Wednesday 25 August 2021. This premier industry event will showcase 31 companies exhibiting their latest irrigation technologies and provide face-to-face opportunities to meet manufacturers, suppliers and distributors.

Find out more about these in our “Meet the Exhibitors” section on page 11.

Check out the event program on page 10 outlining the speakers in the opening ceremony who will be The 2021 Waterwise Irrigation Expo will be held at Crown Perth Conference Centre on Wednesday 25 August 2021.

discussing the demands on scheme and groundwater pressure in the Perth and Peel regions, as well as the details of the two delegate streams to choose from; COMMERCIAL or RESIDENTIAL. Both streams feature various relevant and exciting topics by field experts, providing valuable insights on wateruse efficient practices for both sectors and managing the taking of water.

Ticket sales are well underway, and registrations close on 19 July, so select the respective registration link on page 10 to register now. Entry to the trade show only is free and, if COVID restrictions permit, does not require pre-registration. The trade show will be open from 10.30 am – 4 pm.

Member events to sites of interest will be back on the agenda after the Expo, so Members, keep an eye out for your exclusive invitation via your email.

IALWA is very proud to announce the delivery of Irrigation Efficiency training as part of the Waterwise Council Program. Participating Councils will have the opportunity of fully subsidised competency training for a select number of their parks and gardens staff and, upon completion of assessments, will receive Statements of Attainment for the following units: • AHCIRG338 Troubleshoot irrigation system • AHCIRG337 Measure irrigation delivery system performance • AHCIRG346 Operate pressurised irrigation systems Read more about this exciting initiative on pg 6 .

If you are interested in any training specific to the irrigation industry, visit our dedicated training website to view the training courses and short course workshops available www.coie.com.au

Waterwise

The recent Waterwise member e-newsletter reported on recent events, and announced some exciting news, including a special discounted rate for additional staff to join the Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program, available until 31 August. The cooler months are an excellent time to invest in staff’s professional development with the Waterwise training. Contact the WA office for more details.

Irrigation Australia secured a prime Saturday-morning timeslot on the main stage of the Perth Garden & Outdoor Living Festival, which ran from 6th to 9th May 2021. TV personality and Waterwise Garden Irrigator Darren Seinor was able to spread the water-use efficiency out to garden

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

enthusiasts with a presentation on “How much water does my garden need?”. An advert and editorial article was also featured in Program Booklet, disseminated to the 41,000+ attendees across the weekend. Download and view the booklet here.

The ever-popular Sprinkler Run Time Flyer was made available at various Festival sites for visitors to pick up, read and take home. Sabrina Hahn was happy to support this important water-saving message and gave the flyer a push at all of her presentations over the weekend. Waterwise members benefit significantly from the dissemination of this flyer because the QR code on the flipside directs readers to the Waterwise Programs website for lead generation.

made available to regional members and those who couldn’t participate in the June sessions.

Exciting developments are underway with Water Corporation preparing to introduce initiatives to help residential water customers adapt their outdoor water use in the face of climate change. Details are yet to be finalised, but we understand initiatives will be available to customers only through the Waterwise members, providing an opportunity for customer education around the water-efficiency message.

We know that a large portion of household water is used outside the home, so there is a prime opportunity

for improved irrigation efficiency to make a real change to WA’s garden-water use. As the industry professionals already engaging with these customers, Waterwise Program members are in an optimal position to raise the community’s water literacy in this space.

There are many common misconceptions in the community and industry about the relationship between rainfall, water catchments and dam levels. Please see the article on page 24 for more information that might assist your customers if questions arise.

We look forward to seeing you at the Expo in August!

The Water Corporation’s Customer Essentials Training was held across three sessions and well-attended by Waterwise members. In due course, we will hear how this training can be

The Overflow | Winter 2021

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Working together all part of the Plan Almost two years into the Waterwise Perth Action Plan – a first of its kind of Plan for water management in Western Australia – the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has made great progress to support the irrigation industry and help water users adjust to the impacts of climate change on Perth’s water cycle.

Many initiatives have been delivered by the department as part of the Plan including assisting the Department of Education and our public schools to correctly meter, record and report their groundwater use; and supporting local councils and golf clubs to increase their on-the-ground and technical waterwise capacity.

In the context of a growing population and climate change, the Plan’s collaborative across – government approach is needed to transition Perth to a waterwise city by 2030.

“When we understand our water use, we are more empowered to manage it,” Waterwise Cities Program Manager Winsome MacLaurin said.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

“Water is a precious, shared resource and our groundwater is increasingly important in light of a drying climate and reduced rainfall and stream flow due to climate change.

The program is a new initiative introduced to encourage local governments to achieve and retain Gold endorsement under the existing Waterwise Council Program.

“In the Perth-Peel region, it’s an integral part of our drinking water supply, and groundwater from bores is also used to irrigate local food crops, schools, parks, golf courses, other public open spaces and household gardens.”

“The program was well received, and we are fully subscribed for round one,” Trudy Evans, Senior Water Planner for DWER, said.

Groundwater makes up seventy percent of Perth’s total water supply and also supports local lakes, wetlands, bushland and urban trees.

One of the most pleasing things for DWER has been the stewardship role that other organisations have accepted in leading and creating changes in water behaviours.

One such example is the three-year Waterwise Council Irrigation Training Program, which was announced by Water Minister Hon Dave Kelly MLA in May 2021.

Some 13 Perth metropolitan councils have signed up, with 10 of the local government authorities within the high priority Gnangara groundwater allocation plan area (https://gnangara.dwer. wa.gov.au/). All 13 councils are currently endorsed as gold waterwise councils.

“The professional development of the irrigation industry is a key strategy to enable on-the-ground waterwise changes to irrigation practices in order to respond to climate change and increasing water scarcity. To optimise irrigation systems, budgeting water for different turf and garden landscapes, and utilising smart irrigation technology to find water savings, all require specialist skills” Mrs Evans said.

The cost of the program is fully subsidised for three parks and irrigation staff from each local government area and will run each year for the next three years. The next call for expressions of interest to join the program will be announced in May 2022 and 2023.

To be eligible for access to the training, a local government must be endorsed or working towards achieving Gold status in the Waterwise Council Program. For more information contact waterwise@dwer.wa.gov.au.

The training program is being delivered

by Irrigation Australia Limited Western Australia in partnership with the department and the Water Corporation.

Measuring how much bore water schools use is also an important way for the community to be waterwise. To make this easier the department has created a new video to support schools in recording their groundwater use.

“So that our schools comply with state water use regulations and stay within the limits of their licence, school bores are fitted with meters that measure the volume of groundwater being taken,” Mrs Evans said.

“We’ve produced a video that provides a very simple and easy-to-follow guide for school staff, who are responsible for taking monthly meter readings.”

The video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=o9mNHjomvXs.

Another program that has been kicking goals for a Waterwise Perth is the Waterwise Golf Program, which partners with the State’s golf courses to improve water efficiency.

Program coordinator Clint Roberts said that since the program was reviewed in 2019 there have been 23 golf clubs sign up to participate in the program.

“We have two clubs that have now completed Bronze accreditation with another three clubs well on their way,” Mr Roberts said.

Bronze accreditation aligns with DWER’s policy for water conservation and efficiency and incorporates the department’s latest guidance on water metering and use of the Water Online platform.

“The Golf Course Superintendents Association WA run the program with the support of the department. It is a great example of the partnering role played by the department to advocate better water use and help provide security to the number one recreational pursuit played by people over the age of 45.

“In addition to the benefits provided from exercise and social interaction to the players, golf courses are often the largest green spaces within residential areas and provide a cooling effect to the surrounding neighbourhood.”

These are all projects that continue to deliver on the Waterwise Perth Action Plan’s response to the impacts of climate change on Perth’s water supplies and to meet the water needs for a growing population.

The Overflow | Winter 2021

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Irrigation Australia applauds the first qualified Irrigation Technician graduates In November 2019 Australian Industry Skills Council (AICS) approved the new “Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32419 (Trade Level)” qualification, which was a result of concerted and sustained industry support to obtain a recognised trade level qualification within the irrigation industry.

This qualification also included eleven skills sets which would finally allow irrigation technician sub roles to be recognised as “real” jobs within the Irrigation Industry.

Once the new qualification was approved, Irrigation Australia set about adding it onto the scope of their Registered Training Organisation “Irrigation Training Australia” and commenced delivery of the first Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32419 training course in January 2020.

There are now approximately 120 students going through various Certificate III in Irrigation Technology training courses across Australia, and we congratulate our first four students that have recently completed their training and become “Qualified Irrigation Technicians” in July 2021!

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

One of these successful students is Paul Gibbs from Western Australia who works for the City of Wanneroo.

We applaud and recognise Paul’s achievement and congratulate him for becoming one of the first qualified Irrigation Technicians in Australia.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a “Qualified Irrigation Technician”, please visit our website link below, or contact the Irrigation Australia training team on 1300 949 891 or email training@irrigation.org.au

About his graduation, Paul says “The course was very good, covering everything. I’m really happy to have completed all units, and I’m keen to use this as a stepping-stone to move towards a qualification in Cert IV in Irrigation Management in the future.”

Visit https://www.coie.com.au/course/ certificate_iii_in_irrigation/ Geoff Harvey National Training, Certification & Marketing Manager M: 0418 888 876

WATERWISE IRRIGATION EXPO 2021 Berrysweet Farms Bullsbrook

BETWEEN 7.30AM AND 4.00PM

CROWN PERTH CONFERENCE CENTRE, GT EASTEERN HWY, BURSWOOD

25 AUGUST 2021 TH

BETWEEN 7.30AM AND 4.00PM

CROWN PERTH CONFERENCE CENTRE, GT EASTEERN HWY, BURSWOOD

This year’s Waterwise Expo will consist of a trade show and rotational educational seminars. The seminars will consist of several groups visiting various locations within the Crown Perth Conference Centre as well as field components in the Burswood Park Precinct on a rotational basis throughout the day. Each group will have a dedicated tour guide to escort participants to each location, and an industry expert presenting on the specific topic.

We have introduced a dedicated Residential Stream at this year’s event for those installers/contractors servicing this sector of the market.

Exhibitors and delegates will both benefit from an allocated time slot within the trade show for each group to engage with industry suppliers and see the latest technologies on show.

PROGRAM 7.30AM

Welcome - Minister for Water, Hon Dave Kelly - Dept of Water & Environmental Regulation – Michelle Andrews, DG - Water Corporation – Pat Donovan, CEO - Irrigation Australia – Bryan Ward, CEO

8.30AM 9.00AM

The Future of Groundwater – Dept of Water & Environmental Regulation Burswood Park – Site Introduction - Clint Jones, Park Supervisor

9.30-10.00AM

MORNING TEA & TRADE SHOW

12.00-1.00

LUNCH & TRADE SHOW

PM

10.00AM-3.00PM

3X $500

Voucher Door Prize*

ROTATIONS COMMENCE EVERY HOUR (10AM, 11AM,1PM, 2PM, 3PM)

*Redeem your vouchers with tools of your choice from premium brands like Festool, DeWalt and Bosch. Winner must be present at draw at conclusion of event.

COMMERCIAL STREAM

RESIDENTIAL STREAM

• Burswood Park Landscape Precinct • Management of Municipality Overall Irrigation Network • South 9 Bore • Soil monitoring and management

• Correct use of dripline • Designing systems with correct water coverage • Water Leak Detection Methods • Clever monitoring of Smart Controllers • Best practice in installations

REGISTER HERE

REGISTER HERE

IAL MEMBER $ 99.00 +GST

NON MEMBER $ 195.00 +GST

MULTI BUY OPTION = 6 FOR THE PRICE OF 5: $

MULTI BUY OPTION = 6 FOR THE PRICE OF 5: $

495.00 +GST

990.00 +GST

MAJOR SPONSORS

MAJOR SPONSOR

MEET OUR EXHIBITORS

AAP Industries was originally established in Sydney in 1958 as a manufacturer of custom made metal components. The company has since grown to become a market leader in the manufacture and distribution of valves and pipe fittings throughout Australia with large stock holdings/warehousing in 6 locations. All warehouses carry a full range of products servicing various industries including Engineering, Plumbing, Irrigation, Fire Protection, Mining.

AAP remains a fully, family owned Australian company with a reputation for providing high quality, reliable products. Our national footprint ensures we can deliver customers a range of pre and post sales support.

The pattern approved ABB AquaMaster 4 flowmeter is the hassle-free choice for all water monitoring networks.

• Quick and easy to install with cableless commissioning reducing total expenditure • Battery replacement after 7 years of operation is the only maintenance required • Stocked locally for fast turnarounds • Repeatable and reliable, ensuring your continued peace of mind

APT Water is the WA state distributor for leading brands Lowara, Pedrollo and global distributor for Permaglass. We offer pumps and pumping systems for residential to large commercial and agricultural irrigation applications. Celebrating our 15th year we offer the WA irrigation industry the highest level of experience and customer service.

Aquamonix provides innovative products and services to assist businesses and communities to monitor irrigation infrastructure, manage environmental compliance and master their critical water resource usage. Aquamonix has been working together with WA councils and water infrastructure groups for over 25 years to improve water savings through intelligently managed control solutions.

Fuelled by a passion for providing unrivalled service, we seamlessly integrate with our clients to deliver a superior irrigation design approach and sustainable outcomes. Underpinning our high quality design is a thorough understanding of the requirements, and an appreciation of how the project will be constructed & maintained.

Acu-Tech is a leading manufacturer and supplier of complete HDPE pipe systems and solutions. With our large stock and own transport fleet, we offer the whole package -not just pipe and fittings; but also personal service, technical support, and on-time deliveries. Let’s talk about your project - visit us at Booth 29 and 30.

Colterlec is proudly Australian owned and operated and continues to be a leading distributor of electrical product innovations and solutions across Australia. We have a dedicated and experienced team to assist you every step of the way, as well as partnerships with leading global suppliers to ensure you find the right product solution.

Amiad Water Systems is the nation’s leader in water filtration solutions, providing multiple filtration technologies and endless custom water treatment package solutions. Our filtration technologies are accompanied by a vast selection of air and control valves to ensure the best solution to your irrigation needs.

Engineered Efficiency is a dynamic West Australian company specialising in water management. We conduct water network analysis, design of treatment systems & leak detection services. Through our partnership with Pulsar Measurement we offer a range of level & flow control and instrumentation for various irrigation & industrial applications including open channel flow monitoring.

MAJOR SPONSOR

Hunter Industries’ is committed to building highquality irrigation products and backing them with outstanding service and support.

Hunter Industries produces an extensive range of water-efficient products for residential and commercial use, including its durable pop-up gear-driven rotors, MP rotator sprinklers, controllers, valves, weather sensors, and central control systems.

MEET OUR EXHIBITORS Whether it is for watering the green or the grounds, tried and tested Grundfos pumps deliver unequalled reliability and superior efficiency, every time. As a global manufacturer with decades of innovative pump system design experience, Grundfos Pumps offer the industry’s broadest line of pumping systems to meet requirements for reducing energy costs, safeguarding water resources and keeping productivity at its best.

Holman Industries has been a proudly Australian family-owned business since its inception in 1966. Our focus is on innovative electronic water devices and developing more efficient domestic watering products, lighting, garden décor, plumbing and PVC pressure fittings. We are also the Australian distributor of K-Rain professional irrigation products and a range of Dawn Tools.

HR Products have for over 40 years been a distributor and manufacturer of quality irrigation products to the Domestic, Commercial and Agricultural markets. We have strived to showcase and support the latest in technologies - Weather based Control Systems and Wireless valve, pump control, also our range of Cable Detection Equipment to mention a few.

Established in 1985, HydroPlan is Australia’s largest independent irrigation and water engineering consultancy, specialising in design, documentation and construction management. Spanning industries including golf and sports turf, urban landscapes, leisure, local government, agriculture and rural water suppliers, HydroPlan’s national team of engineers develop innovative, resourceefficient solutions for the future.

Mottech Parkland Pty Ltd is a proven water and resource management services company.

Mottech Parkland provides industry-leading remote-control solutions for water and irrigation applications using Motorola’s IRRInet state-of-the-art control, monitoring and communication technologies. We are the prime distributor of Motorola IRRInet water control and environmental monitoring systems in Australia.

Nelson Australia is a leading Australian distributor of technically advanced irrigation equipment. The combination of superior products and extensive industry knowledge, allows Nelson to provide the best possible irrigation solutions. Nelson equipment is for operators who require professional quality and reliability. Looking forward to seeing at the IAL Expo 2021.

Netafim is the leading global provider of end-to-end smart irrigation solutions. We ensure you achieve success and profitability through a fully sustainable, precision operation.

We can help you maximize efficiency and drive profitability through the precise application of water and nutrients to increase yields and reduce inputs.”

At Nutrien Water, we focus on providing professional quality irrigation, pumping and water management products. Our fundamental commitment to customer service, team technical know-how, local experience, and expert product knowledge along with 14 conveniently located branches make’s Nutrien Water a preferred supply partner.

Visit hydroplan.com.au for more information.

Kingspan Water & Energy is a market-leading provider of rainwater harvesting, water storage and wastewater solutions across residential, commercial and rural applications. Kingspan products feature in many of the most sustainable projects in Australia.

Visit kingspan.com.au/water for more information.

Plasson is a global leader in the development and manufacture of innovative solutions for connecting polyethylene and other pipelines.

Our unique products in rural, metric and electrofusion fittings have proved to be the most reliable connection systems for polyethylene pipeline systems for all market sectors to suit Australian conditions for over 40 years.

MEET OUR EXHIBITORS At Philmac it all started with a talented engineer, “Mac” Phillipps who was a man unafraid of taking risks and driven by the philosophy that there is always a better way to do things.

Philmac is the only manufacturer of compression fittings in Australia. They are used for applications ranging from plumbing and gas fitting, to municipal systems, livestock water control, irrigation, industry and mining.Philmac’s growth has been achieved by a commitment to continuous improvement in quality, product design, distribution and customer service.

Rain Bird Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and provider of irrigation products & services. Rain Bird has produced and offered the industry’s broadest range of irrigation products in more than 130 countries. Our commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water™ shows in our high-quality products and expert water management professionals.

Reece Irrigation & Pools provides irrigation supplies, design services and pool equipment to landscapers, irrigation specialists and pool professionals across the country. From large commercial projects, growers and golf courses to residential backyard projects, we keep everything you need to get the job done.

With 40+ locations across Australia and access to the biggest and best brands in landscaping and irrigation – you can rely on Reece Irrigation & Pools to get the gear you need, when and where you need it.

Proudly West Australian family owned and operated since 1916, Richgro is one of the most respected garden landscape and nursery supply companies in Perth, offering a wide range of high quality products such growing media, landscape soils, mulches, organic fertilisers, turf mixes, soil wetting agents and specialist products.

Rivulis is a global micro irrigation solutions innovator with a portfolio featuring some of the industry’s most recognized products and a comprehensive range of services.

Our vision is to lead the mass adoption of micro irrigation by increasing accessibility to growers through simple, affordable and smart technology for a more sustainable future.

A leading Australian manufacturer of commercial irrigation control systems for the landscape market, SIGNAL specialises in advanced controller and device communications - both in-field and online. With patented Two-Wire technology matched with extensive cloud-based software and mobile apps, SIGNAL is committed to helping our clients achieve savings in time, water, and expense.

SWAN Systems is a precision irrigation software tool developed to optimise water and nutrient use, leading to increases in yield and profitability. SWAN has the power to schedule irrigation seven days out, manage nutrient applications, monitor crop health, and create water and nutrient budgets.

Toro Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Toro Company. The Toro Company was founded in 1914 to build tractor engines. It has become a leading worldwide provider of turf and landscape maintenance equipment and precision irrigation systems.

Toro Australia’s origins began in 1925, when Pope Sprinklers and Irrigation was founded. Today Toro is a leading supplier of irrigation products to the landscape, agricultural, turf care and domestic garden markets. This is complemented by an expansive range of mowers and turf care equipment that caters for golf, turf, sports fields and grounds, professional landscape contractor, residential and hire and rental markets.

At Triangle Waterquip we specialise in the design and supply of fully automatic water filters and systems. We also have a comprehensive range of manual & semi-automatic water filters, hydraulic control valves, agricultural sprinklers, large Rain Gun sprinklers, injection pumps, water meters & subsurface waste water disposal systems.

Water Corporation provides water, wastewater and drainage services to WA. Through our Waterwise Programs and partnerships, we provide water efficiency training and product endorsement for irrigation specialists and manufacturers.

WATERWISE IRRIGATION EXPO

32

Exhibitors

09

Seminars

3X

25TH AUGUST 2021

Crown Perth Conference Centre Gt Eastern Hwy, Burswood

Prizes

MAJOR SPONSORS

Lightning strike expedites Bunbury Golf Club’s upgrade plans

The Bunbury Golf Club is located in the Bunbury suburb of Australind, 160km south of Perth. The club has been on its current Clifton Park site since 1948. Previously, the club was located on a 9-hole Sea Links site situated on Bunbury’s Back Beach, but when the club wanted to expand to 18 holes, they found a suitable site and approached the Clifton sisters who were the land owners at the time. The Club was subsequently given the land on the condition it was to be named Clifton Park.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

The Club has gone through significant changes over the past 5 years with a healthy growing membership, which is now an enviable 900-plus members.

The old and tired clubhouse underwent a complete renovation in 2017 and this has now seen a significant increase in functions and use thanks to added dining options and casual post-golf drinks.

In 2003, the Club looked at ways to replace and/or upgrade its aging irrigation system, which at the time was intermittent automatic irrigation

around greens and tees, while fairways were watered via QCV (quick coupler valve) with plug-in sprinklers moved every hour. To keep on top of this, day-time irrigation was required, and members understood and accepted the importance of having to play around the sprinklers.

At the time, the club had 2 bores both located in the Leederville aquifer which then fed into 2 holding dams.

The water was extremely high in iron content, although the water was being

to the D.I.U interface board, as well as 15 field decoders (which are only stocked via QLD), 7 lightning surge protectors, and 15m of replacement irrigation wire. It took only 48 working hours to troubleshoot, identify and repair damaged components, but at this point the Club had to prioritise the irrigation to greens and tee’s only as manual watering was the only available option.

aerated as much as possible to drop out as much of the iron as they could, the club was still finding the iron buildup in pipes and sprinkler blockages were an ongoing problem. The Club sourced independent consultants seeking approval and licensing to install a new bore into the Yarragadee Aquifer. This was completed in the Winter of 2003.

Luckily, Mandurah Country Club had upgraded their Trident system only 2 summers earlier, so the Club was able to get the only known D.I.U interface in captivity. There was hope for a “like for like” swap but licensing and software issues meant they had to go through the protocols and swapping of software chips via correspondence in the UK, which meant it was not going to be an easy and quick fix solution.

The ongoing challenges meant that greenkeepers were desperate to get water out onto the golf course.

The Club agreed an irrigation upgrade was then priority Number #1 and made plans to move ahead with it. Following demonstrations from Rain Bird Australia and Living Turf, the Rain Bird IC™ control system was identified as the preferred option and was approved by the Club Board of Directors on the day Prime Minister Scott Morrison shut the country due to the arising COVID pandemic.

There was plenty of doubt that plans would proceed amid an increasingly worrying pandemic, with concerns that the Club would have to endure another Summer managing what was left of the damaged irrigation system.

In 2005 the Club moved ahead with replacing the entire irrigation system consisting of block irrigation on fairways, tees, rough and green surrounds. Greens were irrigated by VIH (valve in head).

Fast forward 15 years, it is not surprising that reliability issues were starting to arise, particularly in PC computers that required the Windows XP platform, and the availability of parts proved a challenge, as well as replacement of the D.I.U (Decoder Interface Unit) central control.

The club had set up a Risk and Audit Committee to assess all areas within the club, who had been cautioned of the financial risk the club would face if the aging and rapidly declining system was to go down. Thankfully, the committee agreed to prioritise this, with plans to proceed with replacing the system around 2021/22.

Fortuitously, the course sustained a severe lightning strike on 24th February 2020 which caused irreparable damage

Ploughing in cable.

The Overflow | Winter 2021

15

can eventually begin introducing VIH irrigation to other parts of the course for better water management and efficiency. During this project the entire 1st hole was turned into VIH irrigation along with an area out on the 15th fairway, where out of the 4-sprinkler block system, 2 heads would battle severe dry patches while the other 2 would become very wet and muddy.

Leading into the 2021 winter, this area is now dry and firm as a result from switching these heads to VIH. The upgraded system has breathed new life into the golf course, the flow-on effects are also seen from an operational point of view. The Club requires less maintenance and running hours; a full cycle in the peak of summer was previously a 12hr window, but due to the system being better flowmanaged this is now an 8-9hr window.

The ability to shave nearly 4hrs of irrigation time is huge and by fitting the bulk of the irrigation window into off-peak power times has seen them save approx. $6000 in power expenses to date. This has allowed the Club to redirect savings back into the golf course.

Valve in Head Rotor

The club was forced to make some tough decisions to protect its future, but nobody could have forecast the pandemic would have a positive effect on all golf clubs! Memberships were growing rapidly, the number of visiting golfers increased significantly. The golf club had never been busier and the strong financial position the club found itself in meant that the project was back on, with a sense of urgency to have the project signed off and in the ground by the end of the 2020 Winter.

The previous system was experiencing several breaks per summer on the plastic elbows leading from the tapping saddle into our solenoid valves. The switch to the Rain Bird IC™ presented the opportunity to replace existing solenoids with high quality solenoid valves fitted with an ICM (Integrated Control Module) to increase the lifespan of the entire system. At the

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

same time, failing plastic elbows were also placed with brass fittings.

When the system was stuck by lightning it took 48hrs out in the field to fault-find and repair. The advanced diagnostic capabilities of the Rain Bird IC™ enables instant identification and fault-finding from within the office.

From a maintenance perspective, it is easy to identify and monitor the status and true voltage at each module.

These simple tests can be done from the central control and conducted in a matter of seconds with its capabilities of testing 1000 valves in under 45 seconds and then identifying any field issues before failure.

As they were looking long-term with this project, the ability of the IC system means the Club can run 750 valves per wire path if needed, up from 95 valves previously. This means the Club

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RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION ANNIVERSARY

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• Installation of 83 Rain Bird 900 series EVIH sprinklers with 56 nozzle for greens irrigation • Installation of 21 Rain Bird 751 series VIH to the first hole and approach to 15th green • 4 communication wire loops vibratory ploughed in. Total of 10,000M of cable.

• 2.4m Earth grounding rods every 150m with connected surge protection.

• 250 Rainbird 1419 rectangular valve boxes.

• Rain Bird Golf Cirrus central control • GPS surveyed valve locations uploaded to course mapping • Full course mapping with different plan overlays • Double display monitor • Total time to complete the project 10 days

Pump Upgrade

Greens communication cable being ploughed in

Notably, there have also been improvements in water usage thanks to a better-controlled approach to moisture management. As the Club begins upgrading parts of the course to VIH irrigation, it is hoped further reductions in water usage will be achieved.

term future and growth of the club with an effective irrigation system.

This project would not have been possible without the golf club's Board of Directors and General Manager and support of industry professionals from Rain Bird Australia, Living Turf and contractor Newground Water Services.

Further upgrades to the Club’s irrigation system will take place over the winter months with the contractor set to install a new pumping system to replace the current pump setup which is approximately 30yrs of age. The current 3x 22kw Southern Cross pumps and jacking pump will be replaced with new 250DN pump manifolds, 3x 22kw Grundfos multistage pumps, a 7.5kw Grundfos jockey pump and new semi-automatic cleansing filtration. The new pumpworks will see an increase in pump output from 51 Litres per second to 70 Litres per second at 650kpa which will assist in shortening the water window and provide additional cost savings to the club.

Project at a glance

The changes certainly mean these are exciting times around the Bunbury Golf Club, and the Club is focusing on its commitment to better water sustainability and securing the long-

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

• Replacement of 218 Rain Bird PEB scrubber valves with IC module, 50mm Philmac ball valves and 50mm brass MF elbows, 50mm brass nipple.

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The Lesser Known Benefits of Wetting Agents Do you care about the environment? Read on to learn how wetting agents are vital for water conservation.

Wetting agents bond both with water and with the organic coating on the soil or sand particle, thus allowing the soil or sand particle to become wet.

A wetting agent applied to a nonwater-repellent soil works towards increasing the downward movement of water out of the root zone and

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decrease the upward capillary movement of the water in the soil.

5. Improving the efficiency of fertiliser used (6%)

Wetting agents are used for the following purposes:

Surfactant wetting agents fit into the class of chemical compounds called surfactants, which are chemicals that cause a physical change at the surface of liquids. These changes occur at the interface between two liquids, or between a liquid and a gas, or between a liquid and a solid. Because they cause changes at the surface, they are known as "SURFace ACTive AgeNTs."

1. Relieving localized dry spots (42%) 2. Managing water (32%) 3. Improving drainage (11 %) 4. Improving pesticide movement into the soil (9%)

• • • • • •

When a wetting agent is added to the water, the polar portion of the wetting agent bonds with the water while the nonpolar portion bonds with the nonpolar organic coating, thus allowing the soil or sand particle to wet. As long as there is sufficient wetting agent bonding with the organic coating, the soil or sand particle will not be water repellent. However, it should be kept in mind that this alleviation of soil hydrophobicity is only temporary. For as long as the coating remains on the soil or sand particle, water repellency will return when the use of a wetting agent is discontinued.

Sustainability, conservation and the environment

When a wetting agent is added to the water, the polar portion of the wetting agent bonds with the water while the nonpolar portion bonds with the nonpolar organic coating, thus allowing the soil or sand particle to wet.

Surfactants are commonly used in herbicide formulations to enhance the formulation and the ultimate spray mixture.

Small differences in the structure of surfactants can significantly affect their behaviour. Depending on their ionization (or charge), surfactants are commonly separated into four major groups: anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric. In simple terms, anionic and cationic surfactants ionize (i.e.

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convert to ions) when mixed with water. Their surface-active properties are due to their negative charge (for anion surfactants) and positive charge (for cationic surfactants).

To understand how a surfactant or wetting agent works in a turf grass situation; it is important to understand the properties of water. A water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water is a polar substance, which means it has both negative and positive polar ends.

This polarity allows it to form bonds with a variety of polar molecules.

However, water and other polar molecules will not bond with nonpolar molecules. In fact, water and other polar substances will be repelled by nonpolar molecules.

An example would be trying to mix water with oil or grease. Chemical bonds cannot be formed between water and oil. However, if a surfactant, which has both polar and nonpolar portions, is added to water, the water is no longer repelled. The nonpolar portion of the wetting agent bonds with the nonpolar oil, and the polar portion bonds with the water, allowing the two to mix.

A less-talked-about advantage of wetting agents is their help with water conservation and sustainability.

Sustainability is a strong buzzword in our industry right now, but what does it mean? Sustainability is the ability of an industry to fulfill its needs today and still leave enough resources to meet the requirements of the future.

Many think of organic products when talking about sustainability, but in fact most plants that are grown efficiently and with the environment in mind (water conservation, fertiliser movement etc.) could be considered to be grown in a sustainable way.

Because wetting agents allow you to produce quality plants using less water and help to reduce run-off, as well as improving fertiliser efficiency, it makes sense that wetting agents can be included as a strong tool in sustainability.

Are they worth the cost?

The benefits far outweigh the overall outlay. For a very affordable cost you can add a wetting agent along with your fertiliser treatment or product and get better plant quality even during stressful conditions.

With local councils across Perth and Peel expected to plan for 10% savings in water usage in coming years, this is certainly one effective way to save water. It is also perfect for school gardens and turfed areas where there is increasing pressure to save water.

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Climate Change and its effect on streamflow, dams & catchments

All information sourced from Water Corporation’s website Effects of climate change

Climate change is a global issue with a very real local impact. The biggest challenge we continue to face is declining streamflow into our dams with irregular rainfall throughout WA. Living in the world’s driest continent, we need to understand how climate change is impacting us and how we can live more sustainably.

As climate change continues to impact our state in several ways, including an increase in average annual temperatures, more extreme weather events and significant changes to rainfall, it’s never been more important to become aware of its effects on where we live.

Because Western Australia has large climate variability, the effects of climate change in WA can vary across our expansive regions, which can often

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

lead to a lack of understanding of how it’s impacting us as individuals. Some changes, however, can be seen across most of WA, such as the increase in fire risk.

Already one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, Western Australia’s fire risk has increased over the past 4 decades due to climate change, and fire seasons have lengthened due to warming and drying conditions. We have also experienced changes in sea levels, with the rate of sea-level rise on the west coast almost 3 times the global average.

Right now, we have genuine opportunities to transform the way we live and reduce our water use and carbon footprint. With increased variability of water availability around the state, it has never been more important to save our precious resource – water.

How Perth’s water sources have changed over time

Climate change has dramatically affected where we get our water from.

We can no longer rely on the rain to meet our water needs.

Learn about your water sources: https:// www.watercorporation.com.au/Ourwater/Perths-water-supply

“Already one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, Western Australia’s fire risk has increased over the past 4 decades due to climate change, and fire seasons have lengthened due to warming and drying conditions.”

1980s

What is streamflow and why does it matter?

We often use the term streamflow (rainfall runoff) when we talk about rainfall and dams. This article will help you understand what streamflow is, how we estimate it, and why it’s so important.

To understand streamflow, you first need to know a bit about catchments.

Catchments are areas where water is collected within the natural landscape.

The outside edge of the catchment is usually the highest point. Gravity channels water from the high areas to the lower areas in the landscape.

NOW

The water eventually makes its way towards a common outlet at the lowest point of the catchment. This could be a creek, stream, river, ocean, lake or other body of water. Some water also seeps below ground, and is stored in the soil for plants to enjoy all year round. Water from catchments can also make its way deeper underground, recharging the aquifers beneath the catchment. The water stored underground in our aquifers is called ‘groundwater’.

In very wet conditions and when it’s not raining, excess water from the catchments can flow across the surface and seep back up out of the ground that water is what we call ‘streamflow’.

When we mention streamflow, we’re talking about the water that makes its way from catchments into our dams.

For us to collect streamflow the ground needs to be soaked and the plants need to have taken what they need. It’s only then that the remaining water runs off the landscape and ends up in our dams.

How do we estimate streamflow?

To estimate streamflow, we use a water balance calculation.

First, we measure the change in the volume of water in the dam over a month. We then subtract any water that was added to the dam within that month. This could be desalinated water we transferred in or rain that fell directly into the dam. We also add any water that was lost due to evaporation and other variables. The value we end up with is the estimated streamflow for that month.

The Overflow | Winter 2021

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Why is streamflow so important to understand?

As a result of climate change, rainfall across the South West of WA has been declining since the 1970s. This means that in this part of WA less water soaks into our catchments, with a knock-on effect of less streamflow into our dams.

While streamflow into dams was once Perth’s primary source of drinking water, it now accounts for just 10% of the city’s water supply. Our major sources for Perth are now desalinated water, followed by groundwater.

Perth’s reliance on streamflow has reduced, but the dams themselves still play a very important role in supplying water to the city and in our regional areas. As well as collecting available streamflow, dams are also used to store groundwater and desalinated water for when we need it most.

Stay up to date with streamflow and rainfall data and find out how our water use is tracking here.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

Dams and Catchments

This means we need steady, regular rain in order to replenish our dams and aquifers.

After a period of rain the ground needs to be soaked and the plants need to have taken what they need before any water can start making its way into our water supply (such as into dams or our groundwater supplies).

For more information visit https://www. watercorporation.com.au/Help-andadvice/Water-supply/Rainfall-and-dams/ What-is-streamflow-and-why-does-itmatter

Catchments are areas where water is collected within the natural landscape.

Watch this video to learn about how catchments work and why our dam levels don't automatically rise after a heavy rainfall.

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The RDO and a project collaborator with the grower participant standing beside a soil moisture monitoring set

Water and fertiliser use efficiency improvement A VegNET WA extension service update Article supplied by VegetablesWA, originally published in WA Grower magazine Winter 2021 In the Summer 2020 edition of WA Grower magazine, we outlined the VegNET WA Strategy – a roadmap for enhancing WA vegetable growing businesses.

As part of this strategy, Western Australian (WA) VegNET Regional Development Officers (RDOs) will work closely with growers and stakeholders to create value by translating innovation into adoptable field practices.

As part of this project, we are looking at enhancing the efficiency of fertiliser by integrating soil moisture monitoring with knowledge on rootzone concept and soil characteristics to fine-tune the irrigation schedule.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

• Implementation (Growers putting the innovation into use via a trialand-error process).

• Confirmation (Reinforcement that the adoption yielded positive outcomes).

The desired outcomes for this project are: (i) Develop a strong task force to combine diverse resources and knowledge in irrigation technology. (ii) Implement a five-stage extension process to enhance growers’ decision-making and innovation adoption.

Developing a strong task force

The five stages of this extension process include: • Knowledge (Introduce innovation to growers and help them understand the benefits).

• Persuasion (Development of a favourable attitude to the innovation being introduced).

• Decision (Gaining a commitment from growers to adopt the innovation).

Members of the taskforce share common interests and are committed to contributing resources and knowledge in order to create value by translating new innovation into adoptable field practices.

The careful implementation of a stakeholder engagement plan has marked the first success step for this project and led to the formation of a strong taskforce in January 2021.

This taskforce includes experts and scientists of the Department of Primary Industry and Rural Development (DPIRD), Perth Natural Resources Management (Perth NRM), Irrigation Australia, Wildeye Soil Moisture Monitoring and VegNET WA Regional Development Officers (RDOs).

Since January 2021, the taskforce has been working together to design field trials and demonstrations and setting them up at two grower properties in Wanneroo, WA.

Implementing field extension services

The plan to implement field trials that demonstrated the benefits of using soil monitoring technology, compared to conventional irrigation techniques growers normally use, was scheduled for February.

Unfortunately, this was delayed due to a Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions that prevented organising the grower meetings and field day events.

In April, the team was finally able to establish the first two field demonstrations. The field demonstration sites include soil moisture monitoring probes installed at various depths to monitor the soil moisture profile over time, as well as introducing the rootzone concept and soil characteristics to growers.

The participating growers were assisted with downloading an app to their smartphones that allow them to read the soil moisture monitoring results, and better understand the data outputs presented in graph form.

The growers were also presented with field observations of the rootzone and the soil texture at demonstration sites.

When we spoke with the participants about their conventional irrigation practices, we learned that water was being applied once every day for 1-2 hours through a medium flow drip tap (one litre of water per drip per hour).

Fertiliser was applied through fertigation every 2-3 days when crops were watered.

The rootzone within 30cm depth

From the data outputted by the soil moisture monitoring, we learned that at the depth of 60cm the soil is as wet as soil at 30cm, when water is applied.

Explanation provided by the RDO helped the growers to realise that water was leaking down beyond the rootzone, which meant that water, along with fertiliser, was being wasted.

Moreover, the fertiliser that was applied to the rootzone (at a 30 cm depth) was being washed away by the water application on following days.

The grower has taken on board the RDO’s suggestion that he tries a new water and fertiliser application schedule

and split the irrigation to water more than once a day, with shorter application times.

The trial aims to evaluate the benefits to the crop performance and to reduce water wastage by using soil moisture monitoring over the cropping season.

The RDO’s will continue working with DPIRD collaborators to estimate the value of saved water and fertiliser throughout the duration of the trial.

More information

Truyen Vo Regional Development Officer T 08 9486 7515 M 0457 457 559 E truyen.vo@vegetableswa.com.au

The Overflow | Winter 2021

29

Connecting with customers

New customer essentials training at Water Corporation “I found the workshop to be extremely valuable and could easily be applicable across our entire business, from the guys out in the field through to our office staff dealing with customers on a daily basis “ Water Corporation in partnership with Irrigation Australia Ltd WA, held their first Waterwise Customer Essentials training sessions for Perth-based waterwise members. The new training session was facilitated by Sheila from 3DA, with more than 80 waterwise irrigation experts taking part.

The training looked at how creating positive customer experiences can lead to greater brand trust, value, and revenue. The sessions were extremely well received, with attendees saying that it gave them the confidence to ask their customers more questions in order to better understand the customer’s needs.

To learn more about our waterwise programs, visit watercorporation.com.au/waterwiseprograms.

If you would like to hear about future training opportunities, please email waterwise.programs@ watercorporation.com.au

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

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Wicking beds provide a smart solution for turf irrigation using stormwater SNAPSHOT

• Wicking beds for turf use a plant’s natural ability to send down deep root systems to access available water.

• With the right design, stormwater can be redirected from paved surfaces to a storage beneath turf areas, creating a reservoir to support healthy turf.

• When turf areas are being built or redeveloped, the inclusion of wicking beds can be a cost-effective irrigation solution and a great way to utilise an alternative water source.

Using smart urban design and ancient water engineering techniques, the solution to sustainably watering green public open spaces might be right under our feet. Turf Australia looks at how wicking beds can be an effective irrigation design option in metropolitan areas where stormwater runoff is available from nearby paved surfaces.

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

Sourcing sustainable irrigation water for turf is the common challenge that urban designers and open space planners face when looking at options for green public open spaces.

But an Australian-based ecological engineering company may have found. a solution to accessing, retaining and reusing stormwater in urban areas, that allows turf to be irrigated without ever turning a sprinkler on.

Wicking beds are a design solution presented and discussed at a recent International Parks and Leisure Congress.

The concept is a relatively simple one – provide water for turf below its root zone so the plant can take up the moisture as it needs it – and create this water reservoir by redirecting stormwater flows under the turf surface.

“Wicking bed systems are something that have been used in agriculture and by home gardeners for years,” said Congress presenter; Sally Boer of E2Designlab.

“So the concept itself isn’t new, but by combining together technologies that we have at hand, we can find a solution that uses stormwater as a resource, irrigates turf effectively, and allows the turf to access water and nutrients as it needs them. This results in healthier and more resilient turf and reduces maintenance and operational needs.”

The design removes the need to schedule irrigation of public spaces, avoids sprinklers and associated water loss to evaporation and also provides a separation of stormwater from the public, making it a very safe form of stormwater harvesting.

Creating an underground reservoir Essentially, wicking beds are simply an artificial aquifer under the turf and topsoil , Sally said.

“In contrast to other stormwater harvesting methods that require water to be retained in a tank or pond and then pumped out when its used, this type of system retains the water under the root zone of the plant and allows the plant to grow and extend its root system to where the moisture is, and use the water as necessary.”

The wicking beds use the natural process of soil capillary rise, driven by evapotranspiration, to draw water reserves held in shallow artificial aquifers to the active root zone thereby ensuring optimal soil moisture conditions for healthy turf growth.

“By combining a subsurface water storage zone with overflow relief drainage, it means that when it rains, water passes through the soil under the turf, and into the retention area. When the reservoir is full, excess water freely drains away without creating bogging or water logged conditions … and in dry times, the water stored in the reservoir can be accessed by the plant.”

Sally said the design uses cleanwashed sand within the reservoir to promote wicking of moisture up into the topsoil layer, and a network of distribution pipes to ensure stormwater can be readily directed from paved surfaces into the reservoir and allowed it to escape in times of high flow.

The ‘passive irrigation’ of the turf allows the turf to be maintained without the need for another irrigation system.

This is a zero energy, low maintenance irrigation system that helps to sustain lawn areas between rainfall events and increases the usability and resilience of these areas after heavy rainfall events through improved sub-soil drainage.

Theory into practice

The design principles have been put into practice in Queensland with great success, when the Gladstone East Shores Parklands area installed a large-scale wicking bed under its kick and throw turf area.

Constructed in 2014, the wicking bed has consistently kept the turf flourishing in dry periods and significantly decreased the fertiliser and maintenance requirements associated with the turf.

“The system is completely scalable,” Sally said, “the Gladstone wicking bed was the first large-scale one installed and it has stood the test of a few summers now. A smaller houselot scale system was installed more recently at Innovation House 2.0 located in Townsville.”

For Gladstone East Shores Parklands Superintendent Graham Gambie the wicking bed had led to a more consistently green turf area, and one which requires less inputs.

“The turf accesses the stormwater and the nutrients within that water, meaning we have less need for fertiliser on the turf,” he said.

“The turf is a more consistent green colour, maintains that colour better through the year than other areas in our parklands, and is generally a healthier plant .”

The Gladstone East Shores wicking bed installation was within a much bigger redeveloped park, with the wicking bed installed on the kick and throw area of the parkland, a high use area.

The integrated parkland design features the ‘wicking bed’ technology to store locally harvested stormwater runoff from the adjacent road and shade structures for passive irrigation of the high use lawn area.

“Turf can access water while the space is occupied during the day, irrigation does not need to be scheduled,” Graham said “and the use of stormwater and associated nutrients reduce pollutant loads to the environment.”

From a management perspective, the system also allows for overflow relief and increased drainage through the sand-based soil profile reducing compaction and increasing the usability of the space after heavy rainfall, which then provides improved access for mowing.

There are also the additional environmental benefits that healthy, well-watered turf has through increased CO2 capture, and significant community benefit from the local cooling created by inclusion of irrigated grass in urban areas.

Article supplied by Turf Australia.

The Overflow | Winter 2021

33

Water salinity and plant irrigation Article sourced: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/water-management/water-salinity-and-plant-irrigation

Irrigating crops with saline water can result in yield loss and decreased quality. Plants vary greatly in their tolerance to saline water. The extent of yield loss when plants are irrigated with saline water depends on a number of factors including soil type, drainage and the frequency, method and time of irrigation. The information on this page will help growers make good irrigation decisions.

Introduction

Salts in irrigation water are mainly common salt (sodium chloride), calcium and magnesium bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates. In most areas of Western Australia, about three-quarters of the total soluble salt is sodium chloride, though this may vary in coastal and pastoral areas.

For example, in irrigation water at Carnarvon, only about half the total soluble salt is sodium chloride. Crop yields can be markedly reduced before visual symptoms of salinity damage become apparent.

The first of sign of salinity is usually stunted growth, with plant leaves often having a bluish-green colour. As salt

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

levels in the soil increase to more toxic levels, scalding or burning on the tip and edges of the older leaves occurs.

The leaf dies and falls off and finally, the plant dies. In other cases, the youngest leaves may appear yellow, or the crop may show signs of wilting, even though the soil appears adequately moist.

Salty irrigation water can affect plant growth in two ways: salinity effect and toxicity effect.

Salinity effect

Plant roots take up moisture through membranes in root cells by osmosis.

Water passes through a semipermeable membrane, and moves from a solution of low levels of dissolved salts to one with higher salts.

This process continues until the plant cells become full. If the irrigation water is moderately saline, the plant has to work harder to absorb water from the soil and growth is slowed, with reduced yields.

If highly saline irrigation water is used, the process of osmosis can reverse.

Where the solution outside the plant roots is higher in salt concentration than that of the root cells, water will move from the roots into the surrounding solution. The plant loses moisture and suffers stress. This is why symptoms of high salt damage are similar to those of high moisture stress.

Toxicity effect

Excessive concentrations of sodium

and chloride ions in irrigation water can cause toxicities in plants. These ions can be taken up either by the roots or by direct contact on the leaves. More damage is caused by direct absorption through the leaves.

Sodium

Typical sodium toxicity symptoms are leaf burn, scorch and dead tissue along the outside edges of leaves. In contrast, the symptoms of chloride toxicity occur initially at the extreme leaf tip. High concentrations of sodium in irrigation water can induce calcium and potassium deficiency in soils low in these nutrients, and crops may respond to fertilisation with these nutrients.

Another effect of sodium is that if sodium is high in relation to calcium and magnesium, waterlogging may result due to the degradation of wellstructured soils.

The direct toxic effects of sodium concentrations in irrigation water on different plants are shown in Table 1, which lists the effect of the sodium absorption ratio (SAR) of the irrigation water. The SAR measures the relative percentage of sodium ions in water to calcium and magnesium ions. A high SAR indicates there is potential for sodium to accumulate in the soil. This can degrade soil structure by breaking down clay aggregates, which results in waterlogging and poor plant growth.

Chloride

The chloride ion can be taken up by plant roots and accumulate in the leaves. Excessive accumulation may cause burning of the leaf tips or margins, bronzing and premature yellowing of the leaves. In general, most fruit trees are sensitive to chloride, whereas most vegetable, forage and fibre crops are less sensitive.

Crops, and even varieties and rootstocks, vary greatly in their tolerances to chloride and sodium. If irrigation water has a total salinity close to the critical concentration, then test its chloride and sodium concentrations.

Chemical analysis of soil or leaves can be used to confirm probable chloride toxicity. Fruit leaves usually suffer from toxicity when the dried leaves contain more than 0.2% sodium or 0.5% chloride.

Direct adsorption through leaves

Some crops which are not sensitive to root uptake of chloride or sodium ions develop symptoms of leaf burn when sprinkled with saline water. Damage is most severe during hot dry conditions because evaporation concentrates the salts on leaf surfaces.

Leaf injury is influenced by cultural and environmental conditions such as drying winds, low humidity, speed of rotation of sprinklers and timing and frequency of irrigations. Data presented are only general guidelines for summer daytime sprinkling.

Measuring salinity

Salinity of water is usually estimated from its electrical conductivity (EC), which may be converted to total dissolved solids (TDS). The EC does not identify the dissolved salts, or the effects they have on crops and soil, but gives a fairly reliable indication of salinity problems.

Table 2 shows a general salinity classification for water.

EC is measured in milliSiemens per metre (mS/m) in DPIRD. Some laboratories use different units for salinity.

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To convert mS/m to milliSiemens per centimetre (mS/cm), deciSiemens per metre (dS/m) or millimhos per centimetre (mmhos/cm), multiply by 0.01. To change mS/m to microSiemens per centimetre (µS/cm), multiply by 10.

To convert EC to milligrams per litre (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) of TDS, multiply a measurement in mS/m by 5.7, or a measurement in mS/ cm or dS/m or mS/cm by 570. These conversion figures are approximate, suitable for EC readings of less than 1000mS/m and for the common salts found in WA irrigation water.

Factors affecting damage

The extent of plant yield loss when irrigated with saline water depends on a number of factors including:

Soil type and drainage

The key to irrigating successfully with saline water is to leach or move salts

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downwards away from the root zone.

In well drained sandy soils, irrigation water can readily flush salts out of the root zone but this is less successful on poorly drained, heavy soils. The amount of leaching to maintain acceptable growth depends on: • salinity of the irrigation water • salt tolerance of the crop • climatic conditions • soil type • water management.

The amount of additional water required to leach salt from the root zone is called the leaching fraction.

Frequency and timing

Salt concentration in the root zone continually changes following irrigation.

As the soil dries, the salt concentration in the soil solution increases and this reduces the moisture available to the plant. Frequent, light irrigations increase

salt concentrations in the topsoil and should be avoided. High rainfall and heavy irrigations will remove salts from within the root zone.

Watering during hot dry conditions will increase evaporation and therefore increase the concentration of salt.

Fertilising

If salinity is a problem, avoid fertilisers containing chloride.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

Replace muriate of potash (potassium chloride) with sulphate of potash and use nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilisers which contain sulphate of potash.

Growth stage

Plants are generally more susceptible to salinity damage during germination and at the seedling stage than when established. The best quality water should be used at this stage.

CY

CMY

K

Rootstocks and varieties

Rootstock and variety differences are important factors affecting salt tolerances of tree and vine crops, especially with avocado, citrus, grapes and stone fruit.

Irrigation method

Drip irrigation allows water with higher salt content to be used than other delivery methods, as evaporation losses are minimal. Drip irrigation can also reduce the effects of salinity by maintaining continuously moist soil around plant roots and providing steady leaching of salt to the edge of the wetted zone.

Sprinkler irrigated crops are potentially subject to additional damage caused by salt uptake into the leaves and burn from spray contact with the leaves.

If using saline water for sprinkler irrigation, irrigate when temperatures are coolest. Watering in the heat of the day concentrates the salts due to high

evaporation. Watering during high winds also concentrates salts.

Do not use sprinklers which produce fine droplets and misting. Avoid knocker sprinklers if possible, especially slow revolution sprinklers which allow drying periods, causing salt to build up on the leaves.

Recycling of salts

Groundwater below horticultural properties on the Swan Coastal Plain may become more saline over time.

The longer an area is irrigated, the higher the risk. Large amounts of water are pumped from the shallow aquifer in some areas. As excess irrigation water infiltrates back to the aquifer, the salt level increases because of evaporation and addition of fertiliser salts. Good irrigation management should, in most cases, overcome these problems.

Excessive pumping from an aquifer can also result in the intrusion of salty water. If several sources of differing

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quality water are available, blend the poorer quality with better quality to reduce or prevent salinity damage.

Analysis of water samples

A number of laboratories in Western Australia will analyse water for electrical conductivity. Check the Yellow Pages phone book for contact details. Use a glass or plastic bottle that is about 500mL capacity. Rinse the bottle in the water to be sampled before filling. Seal the bottle and mark it with the sender’s name and address, and date of sampling.

When sampling from bores or wells, run the pump for a few minutes to ensure a representative sample is taken. Large variations in the salinity of surface irrigation water can occur throughout the year, usually highest from the end of summer until the first rains. Collect the water sample at the time of year when water will be pumped for use.

Build On Your Professional Development Irrigation Australia’s range of nationally accredited courses and qualifications are designed to provide you with the right skills and knowledge to pursue a career in the irrigation industry.

Take a look at the topics being delivered over the coming months

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Course Overview: Our Meter Installation and validation course is nationally accredited and offers candidates the skills and knowledge to become an irrigation meter installation and validation. This course provides a hands-on learning experience and in-field assessment on candidates skill and knowledge in accordance with the Australian standard, when installing water meters in rural environments.

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Course Overview: This course covers the skills and knowledge required to weld polyethylene (PE) plastic pipes using electrofusion. It applies to welding of pipes and pipelines undertaken in the field and in factory conditions. Pipelines may be for transmission of water, gas or other liquids. Irrigation Australia will deliver this training in support of using product and equipment provided by Vinidex. This Partnership combines Vinidex’s industry knowledge and experience with Irrigation Australia’s ability to deliver high quality nationally accredited qualifications and courses.

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Water Usage Metro Region

https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Water-use

Yearly Streamflow https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Streamflow

Perth Rainfall Comparison https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Rainfall

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HAVE YOU VISITED THE WA WATERWISE PROGRAMS WEBSITE? www.waterwiseprograms.com.au

The Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program is a joint initiative of the WA Region of Irrigation Australia and Water Corporation, with a goal of optimising water-use efficiency of domestic irrigation systems in Western Australia. Endorsed Waterwise Garden Irrigators are fully trained in water efficient practices and can design, install, repair and maintain home garden irrigation systems.

WATERWISE GARDEN IRRIGATORS AAA Irrigation

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Robert Reynolds

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Softscapes & Reticulation Pty Ltd

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Country Landscaping & Irrigation

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Earth & Water Pty Ltd

Perth Lawns and Retic

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Prime Landscaping Pty Ltd

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The Overflow | Winter 2021

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Condo Landscapes Pty Ltd

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Landscape Australia Construction

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The website features an extensive and up-todate business directory where the community can search for their local Waterwise members, based on their location. Head to the search directory at www.waterwiseprograms.com.au for members’ contact details, or if you’d like information on how to become an endorsed Waterwise business.

With an increasing number of DIY enthusiasts installing and maintaining their own irrigation systems, the Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop Program was developed to raise the standard of irrigation advice and design services offered by staff at counter level of specialist irrigation retailers. Endorsed staff have the knowledge and skills to provide their customers with waterwise advice, products and services.

WATERWISE IRRIGATION DESIGN SHOPS Addwater Reticulation - Maddington

Reece Irrigation & Pools - Belmont

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SOUTH WEST WATERWISE PROGRAMS Irrigation Australia has recently launched the Waterwise Irrigation Programs in the South West region of WA, with the support of local water utilities; Busselton Water and Aqwest.

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WATERWISE GARDEN IRRIGATORS

Country Water Solutions – Bunbury

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Country Landscaping & Irrigation

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Zimban Reticulation

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