Cotton growers and consultants are becoming concerned with the level of compaction in soils in the Gwydir. The feeling is that compaction is increasing due in part to the use of round bale pickers and to working the soil when it is still above the plastic level at depth. Compaction is believed to be impacting the productivity of the region. It is influencing crop growth, nutrition and water use and may be increasing water logging. Soil pits dug as part of the Gwydir Valley area wide management groups at Ashley and Telleraga in July 2013 indicated that there was a compaction on our irrigated cotton soils. Further pits dug in May 2014 confirm that soil compaction is not an isolated issue. General the cracking clay soils across the Gwydir Valley do repair themselves when they are able to have a series four or five wet and dry cycles. This project examined possible remediation techniques which may benefit the soils and concentrated on two key areas : 1. To increase the awareness and understanding of the compaction in irrigated cotton soils in the Gwydir Valley and 2. To investigate possible crop rotations and mechanical approaches which may help reduce the degree of compaction in irrigated soil. This is seen as important in helping to achieve a more resilient and competitive cotton farming system and an environmentally sustainable cotton industry.