* Focus on Murray Irrigation Limited Area * Burdekin groundwater sustainability initiative * Water use efficiency -what does it mean

This report provides the findings of Phase 1 for the Goulburn Broken irrigation area and seeks to identify likely ecological risks associated with irrigation systems in the Goulburn Broken catchment. A list, and brief description, of likely ecological consequences of development in the catchment on which irrigation is likely to have a significant impact was developed at a workshop with relevant catchment stakeholders. Priority risks, or ecological consequences, identified included increased occurrence of blue-green algae (eutrophication); reduced native fish abundance and diversity (fish kills); spread of aquatic pest plants and animals; loss/decrease in structure and function of terrestrial/floodplain vegetation communities. Conceptual models for each of these ecological consequences have been developed. A qualitative ranking of these consequences was undertaken based on its importance in the catchment, the impact of irrigation, the probability of the consequence occurring and the scientific knowledge of the consequence. The ranking can be undertaken quantitatively when better data is assembled.

* Focus on the Condamine-Balonne * Feature on soilwater monitoring * Reducing erosion and increasing infiltration with PAM

The National Program for Sustainable Irrigation (NPSI) required cost-benefit analyses to be undertaken on a number of its research investments from phase 1 of the program, which ran from July 2002 to June 2007. Eleven investments from phase 1 were identified by NPSI as having potential for analysis, and these were scanned by Agtrans using six criteria to further determine their suitability for analysis. As a result, four investments (projects) were selected for costbenefit analysis.

The kit provides case studies and structured worksheets for you to record your own figures in the kit framework. This should provide a pathway through the many decisions you must make in settling on the 'right' level of entitlement for your irrigation business. You will need to keep reviewing your decisions at least once every season.

This power point presentation looks at using land for both cotton and grains to take advantage of land resources and moisture reserves can mean economic and water use efficiency gains.

The NPSI/IAL Travel Fellowship 2010 aimed to investigate developments toward autonomous site-specific irrigation control systems. Site-specific irrigation systems offer improvements in water use efficiency and crop performance by differentially applying irrigation to the field when and where it is required.

Irrigated farm businesses currently face a number of problems--reduced water allocations and river flows, increased climate variability, and economic pressures. In order to remain profitable and increase the productivity of water supplies, urgent action is required.

The National Program for Sustainable Irrigation was a unique collaboration as it involved governments, irrigators, water providers and researchers from across Australia. It covered every aspect of irrigation from dam management and water delivery, through on-farm management, to sustainable landscape environmental measures

Good soil structure is essential for healthy, resilient plants because it allows them to develop extensive, active root systems. This promotes efficient use of water and nutrients, encourages biological activity and cushions plants against drought and other hardship. The general perception of a soil with good structure is that it is well-drained, easy to penetrate and crumbles readily into aggregates of about 1-10 mm that remain intact when they are wet.