Projects featured in this booklet highlight the diversity of the research commissioned by the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation and the practical outcomes they offer for irrigation sustainability and productivity.

There is growing interest in developing some of the water resources of northern Australia. This trend is partly fueled by widespread perceptions of abundant water resources in northern Australia, declining rainfall in southern Australia and recognition that some water resources in the south are over-allocated and over-used. This study presents an overview of the landscape of northern Australia with respect to its soil and water resources, climate and hydrology and with special emphasis on

techniques. In response, this project was commissioned to investigate the potential of reducing nutrients in irrigation drainage systems using in-line wetland technology and batter stabilisation. Two aspects of reducing nutrients were investigated: use of aquatic plants to remove nutrients stabilising the drain cross-section to minimise the drain contribution to nutrient run-off.

Since the end of 2003 a tri-state syndicate of government agencies from western NSW, Victoria and South Australia has been working on a strategy to manage this salinity hazard. This Research Bulletin draws on some of the findings to date, focusing on results of monitoring root zone salinity and deep drainage in sprinkler and drip-irrigated citrus orchards and vineyards.

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

The purpose of this component of the research was to develop a method to identify likely ecological risks associated with Open Hydroponics (OH) in the Mallee region, using an ecological risk assessment approach.

Australia currently sends to "waste" close to 86% of effluent water. In the past 4 years national re-use of effluent has doubled to 14% of all effluent produced, however this remains a small proportion of the amount of water still running to "waste". The potential exists to use this water for horticultural production freeing up costly potable water. There are concerns about the use of recycled water from both a horticultural producer and consumer perspective. Participants throughout the supply chain need to be aware of and minimise the potential risks and maximise the benefits of using this resource

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

In recognising the apparent move by some States toward new investment in irrigation infrastructure, the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation (LWRRDC) commissioned the Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research (ACTFR) to prepare an issues paper on best practice, with respect to ecological issues and the development of new irrigation schemes in Australia. It was agreed that the priority area for discussion was to be biodiversity and conservation, in the context of new irrigation scheme development.

Drip irrigation/fertigation ("advanced fertigation", "open hydroponics") is being adopted by the Australian citrus industry. Hardware sophistication and the complexity of management regimes being used vary enormously; from old paradigms applied using modern equipment, through to approaches used overseas, but untested under Australian conditions. Generally, these technologies are being adopted without support. This project aimed to address knowledge gaps and test assumptions regarding the application of modern approaches to the delivery of water and dissolved mineral fertilisers to citrus trees under Australian conditions.