RWUE research projects

RWUE Phase 2 - Research projects

RWUE Phase 1 - Research projects

RWUE 1 research projects (1999–2003)

Some of the following reports have been split in sections to make them faster to download, and are also available as complete PDFs for printing.

Current knowledge and developing technology for controlling evaporation from on-farm storage

Investigation into the practicality of and potential for controlling evaporation losses from on-farm storages. The investigation was funded jointly by the National Program for Irrigation Research and Development (NPIRD) and the Rural Water Use Efficiency Initiative, Queensland
Final Report (2002) (PDF, 250K)*
See the Evaporation Control Project in the RWUE Phase 2 Research projects for further information

Water-efficient forage production in the subtropical dairy systems for improved profitability and environmental sustainability

Project objective: Study of 40 small plots to establish best irrigation management of selected crops and pastures, and farmlet studies to establish best whole farm systems for optimum production and maximum water-use efficiency.
Location of research: Mutdapilly Research Station.
Collaborating organisations: Dairy Research & Development Corporation.
Milestone report (PDF, 72K)*

Increased profitability and water-use efficiency through best use of limited water under supplementary irrigation

Project objective: To develop guidelines regarding varieties, response to irrigation and crop stage, optimum use of water allocation, extending ratoon life, using water from water tables and withholding irrigation to reducing risks of waterlogging, enhance modelling capability of sugar systems, customising tools for industry.
Location of research: Bundaberg, Maryborough, Burdekin.
Collaborating organisations: Sugar Research and Development Corporation.
Final report (2003) (PDF, 125K)*

Development of measurement and diagnostic 'toolkits' to evaluate and improve the performance of sprinkler irrigation systems

Project objective: To develop and implement procedures that aid irrigators and extension staff in the diagnosis and correction of design, component, operational or management problems with sprinkler irrigation systems.
Location of research: South East Queensland horticulture, dairy and sugar industry regions.
Final report 2003 (PDF, 259K)*

Investigation of in-field irrigation management practices that improve irrigation efficiency of furrow irrigated cotton production systems

Project objective: To better understand the surface irrigation system water balance through physical measurement of all irrigation water balance parameters.
Location of research: Darling Downs, Goondiwindi.
Collaborating organisations: National Centre for Engineering in Australia, University of Southern Queensland.
Final report 2003 (PDF, 139K)*

Management of furrow irrigation to improve water-use efficiency and sustain the groundwater resource: a case study in the Burdekin region

Project objective: To understand the impacts of current and modified water management practices (recycling and water spreading and on-farm practices) on long term sustainability of the Burdekin Delta groundwater systems.
Location of research: Burdekin Delta.
Collaborating organisations: North and South Burdekin River Water Boards.
Final report 2004 (PDF, 494K)*

Trickle irrigation on heavy clay soils: an opportunity to increase water use efficiency and reduce off-farm environmental impacts

Project objective: Compare trickle irrigation water use efficiency and environmental impact with flood irrigation on heavy clay soils, identify drivers and constraints to adoption of trickle irrigation, and develop trickle irrigation BMP guidelines.
Location of research: Emerald and Dawson Irrigation Areas.
Final report (2003) (PDF, 134K)*

Quantifying high priority reasons for vegetable producers to adopt improved irrigation management strategies

Project Objective: Whole farm economic evaluation of irrigation management impacts; field verification and quantification of costs, benefits and effects on production and marketablility; manage pests, physiological disorders and produce quality.
Location of research: Lockyer Valley.

Download the final report as a whole or in sections below:

Complete final report (PDF, 557K)*
Contents, summary and background (PDF, 121K)*
Economic analyses (PDF, 83K)*
Intensive agronomic experiments (PDF, 238K)*
Field evaluations, project impacts, recommendations (PDF, 151K)*

Sustainable horticultural irrigation project

Project objective: To trial water saving irrigation techniques and equipment on avocado and macadamia orchards to optimise the retention of rainfall and irrigation water, develop practical methods for Queensland tree crop industries.
Location of research: Bundaberg.
Milestone report 2001 (PDF, 33K)*

Assessment of irrigation strategies for best use of limited water: a review of relevant irrigation research to date

Project objective: To review past research on sugar cane response to soil moisture stress at different stages of crop growth, stimulate responses using APSIM, develop recommendations for irrigation management, report results to irrigation extension officers.
Location of research: Bundaberg.
Final report (2001) (PDF, 291K)*

Burdekin Delta Soils: a basis for sustainable planning

Project objective: Soil mapping of the Burdekin Delta with detailed characterisation of 10 key soils to allow extrapolation of results of research projects across the Delta.
Location of research: Burdekin Delta.
Collaborating organisations: Lower Burdekin Landcare Association,
Dept of Natural Resources, CSIRO.
Final report (PDF, 357K)*

Short-term climate forecasting and risk management to improve irrigation scheduling and improve water use efficiency

Project objectives:

In cooperation with stakeholders, identify and demonstrate opportunities for gains in water-use efficiency and productivity, (by increasing effective in-crop rainfall), by using short-term climate forecasting for improved irrigation scheduling.
Link with the industry demonstration sites to operationalise irrigation scheduling decisions based on short-term climate forecasting treatments.
Quantify the risk to crop production and possible enterprise disruption by delayed or irregular irrigation for a range of crops, soils, crop stage and climate.
Assess the likely reduction in offsite losses and impacts of water, sediment and chemicals to groundwater or surface waterbodies by the reduced incidence of rainfall immediately following irrigation.
Develop and make available through the internet (and other electronic media) a decision module to allow irrigators to assess the risks and benefits of different scheduling decisions to optimise production and environmental outcomes.
Link with industries to incorporate results and decision module in any industry training activities.

Location of research: Brisbane.
Collaborating organisations: National Program for Irrigation Research & Development (NPIRD), Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

For any enquiries relating to these projects please contact:
Des McGarry
Tel: 07 3170 5594
Email: Des McGarry

If you have problems downloading any of these documents, or would like a copy sent by mail, please contact:

Rural Water Use Efficiency initiative
GPO Box 2454, Brisbane Q 4001
07 3227 6685
Email: RWUE Initiative

RWUE Phase 2 - Research projects

Under RWUE phase 2, research and development projects were conducted on:

evaporation control
deep drainage.

Evaporation control project

NR&M commissioned the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), based at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, to undertake an evaporation control project as part of the RWUE initiative.

The aim of the project was to assess the performance and practicality of available technologies for improving on-farm water management by mitigating evaporation.

The project involved

sourcing products
selecting trial sites
developing a testing program (including instrumentation, e.g. flow meters, depth probes and weather stations).

The products selected for trial were:

Water$aver—a monolayer
Evap-Caps—a floating cover
Netpro— a shade cover.

For more information see the final report on the NCEA website.

Deep drainage projects

Under Stage 2, deep drainage projects were established on sites in the Macintyre Valley, Balonne, Emerald and Burdekin irrigation areas. The primary objective was to accurately measure and monitor deep drainage at the individual field level, then to up-scale these results to catchment level with predictive modelling.

The southern component of this study focussed on seven irrigated cotton fields, representing the key cotton-growing soils in the area between Pittsworth, Goondiwindi, Dirranbandi and St George. The northern component is being conducted in the Burdekin region on sugarcane fields.

At each site, three recording 'barrel lysimeters' were installed close to the top, middle and tail ditch-end of each field. Water that passed through these lysimeters (at 150 cm depth) was deemed lost to the plant, so was termed deep drainage. The amounts were continuously monitored, and the water collected for analysis.

The data was then cross-checked, and deep drainage estimated independently by:

comparing infiltration depth (from irrigation advance rate and irrigation flow rate through the SIRMOD model) with antecedent evapotranspiration (ET) (estimated from FAO56 and weather station data), and calculating the difference.
using the SODICS model to measure changes in soil salt (chloride) profiles.

Interim results

Deep drainage measured to date is in the range of 12 to 222 mm per cotton season, with large variations between seasons, soil types and position in the field, though there is a trend for the largest values to occur where free surface water stood the longest—usually the head ditch end but, on occasions, inundated tail drain ends.

Considering that most irrigation cotton farms apply 5–6 ML/ha/season, deep drainage values of approximately 1.5 ML/ha suggest a potential gain in water-use efficiency of 25% which equates to an annual saving of 324, 000 ML of irrigation water across the whole industry, with potential for either increasing production by 184, 000 additional bales of cotton, or increased water for other end-users and environmental flows.

For any enquiries please contact:
Des McGarry
Tel: 07 3170 5594
Email: Des McGarry

* Requires Adobe Reader

Last updated 8 September 2011