Water in open channels is subject to high evaporative losses. Some 701 gigalitres of

water is lost annually through evaporation from channels in Northern Victoria.

Research and field trials carried out by many workers over the last 50 years has

shown that applying small quantities of chemicals to form a monolayer, or surface

film, on the water surface is a cost effective method of suppressing evaporation on

bodies of water such as dams. The potential water saving from the use of such

monolayers on G-MW irrigation channels is approximately 11GL/year.

Through the CRC Irrigation Futures (CRCIF), G-MW is collaborating with the

University of Southern Queensland (USQ) to understand how this technology can be

applied to channels.

This project expands the scope of previous commercial trials, which have focused on

large water storages and farm dams, to consider evaporation suppression on

irrigation channels. There are researchable questions regarding the efficacy, cost

and application methodologies that relate specifically to evaporation suppression in

channels.

Goulburn-Murray Water is undertaking a research project (in partnership with the CRC

Irrigation Futures and the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation) into the

application of monolayers on irrigation channels in order to determine if this is a feasible

water savings measure.

This report presents a summary of all work undertaken as a part of this project.