Irrigation tests aimed at lifting farm efficiency
Irrigation NZ has shifted an irrigation efficiency testing programme into South Canterbury in an effort to help farmers improve irrigation management.
The programme has run in Selwyn and Ashburton districts over the past two years with about 360 irrigation systems tested, and is the first large-scale independent trial of irrigation efficiency in New Zealand.
Effective and efficient irrigation maximises productivity and profitability, and minimises water use and leaching in the best interests of the irrigator and the wider South Canterbury public, Andrew Mockford chief executive of Opuha Water, one of programme’s partners, says.
‘‘Carrying out an irrigation efficiency test will help determine the depth of irrigation applied . . . and how uniformly the irrigation is distributed.
‘‘It is therefore a good way of knowing how well a system is performing and where the opportunities are to improve.’’
Steve Breneger, Irrigation NZ’s technical project manager who is overseeing the project, said fixing faults can help farmers to save water and reduce nutrient losses.
‘‘A key part of the project is that it provides farmers with a good picture of both how well their irrigation system is operating and also how they are managing it.
‘‘Farmers are offered advice on what they could do to improve their irrigation performance or their management of their irrigation system,’’ Breneger said.
The testing programme is being carried out by university scholarship students who have been trained to carry out bucket testing which checks whether systems are working correctly.
The results are then reviewed by Breneger and farmers receive a summary of the test results listing any key performance issues and actions that would improve irrigation performance.
Farmers must register on www.irrigationnz.co.nz/events to be part of the programme.