OurResearch-tools.pdf - CRC for Irrigation Futures

Our ResearchTools and Software2003-2010

Tools for a Better Irrigation FutureThe CRC for Irrigation Futures has contributed to a better irrigation futureby developing smart products that will help irrigators make better irrigationdecisions.The interest in volumetric water savings brings many CRC for IrrigationFutures tools into focus. The challenge of achieving these savings viaurban and rural investment into irrigation practice requires tools that dealwith application efficiency, distribution uniformity, irrigation scheduling,water storage efficiency and crop water use.The Toolkits for Improving Irrigation Practice Program contributes to thischallenge by delivering innovative solutions to the urban and ruralcommercial irrigation sector. Essentially the program improves production,profitability and the sustainability of irrigation enterprises.

CRC IF ToolSoluSAMPLERThe inexpensive and simple-to-use device helpsgrowers monitor the emerging problem of rootzone salinity, which particularly effects grape andcitrus under highly efficient irrigation systems.Horticulture and vegetable growers will be ableto use the device to track nitrogen movementand improve nutrient management.Irrigation IssueManaging salt and nutrients in the root zone.Salinity damage in the root zone could cost $100million a year in the $2 billion Riverland andSunraysia horticulture industries alone.Measuring nutrients in the root zone reduces thechance of flushing expensive and pollutingfertilisers from the root zone.CRC IF ToolFullStopThe FullStop provides a cost effective method ofimproving irrigation management and can beused to assess whether too much or too littleirrigation is being applied, to detect water loggingand to monitor nutrient and salt levels in the soil.

CRC IF ToolDripper Uniformity CalculatorThis software tool allows managers anddesigners to visualise dripper uniformity of anexisting irrigation system. A clear map of theirrigation and nutrients (if fertigating) applied ineither one irrigation or over a season, isproduced. This helps identify poorly designed ormaintained drip systems and can be used toimprove management.Irrigation IssueImproving irrigation productivity by increasingyield and reducing drainage losses. Reducingenvironmental impact by minimising nutrientleaching and deep drainage.Promoting profitable transition from surface tooverhead pressurised irrigation systems andimproving productivity from better soil watermanagement.CRC IF ToolOVERSchedIrrigation managers can operate a virtual CentrePivot or Lateral Move system and see the impactof different irrigation management strategies onsoil-water conditions. This demonstrates howimportant system capacity is in meeting thewater demands of the crop.The software highlights the importance of timingthe first irrigation event at the beginning of theseason, or after rainfall. It demonstrates thechanging soil moisture levels during a typicalirrigation cycle, how these vary across thepaddock and how soil water monitoring can beused. OVERSched assists irrigation managers tochange from surface irrigation to centre pivot orlateral move systems.

Irrigation IssueMore accurate scheduling of irrigation.The key decisions for an irrigator involveshow much water to apply and when.Thesedecisions change daily and through theseason.CRC IF ToolIrriSatSMS“IrriSatSMS” suggests irrigation run timebased on a farmer’s individual irrigationsystem, crop water use and local weather.Satellite images are used to determine cropstage and cover for each farm, weather stationdata is extracted and used to estimatepotential crop water use, irrigation systemperformance is assessed and all thiscombined to keep a ‘simple’ water balance foreach irrigation block. All the detailedinformation can also be viewed via the web,which keeps track of how much waterirrigators have applied and compares theirwater use against other irrigators at any pointin the season.CRC IF ToolIrrimate toolsIrrimate tools are widely used to improve furrowirrigation. These tools are now being applied tobay irrigation systems to help irrigators manageapplication rates and times. Work has suggestedthat improvements in application efficiency from69 per cent to 90 per cent are achievable.Irrigation IssueGlobally over 70 per cent of all irrigation isapplied using gravity fed surface irrigation systems.Improving the efficiency of surface irrigationis vital.

CRC IF ToolSmart meteringSmart irrigation metering technology involvesnew approaches to the assessment of flow ratecharacteristics of pressurised irrigation systems.The water use information obtained from suchassessments has the potential to improveirrigation design and practice.Irrigation IssueIrrigation systems need to be managed tooptimise water and energy use. Pressurisedirrigation systems are complex networks whichrequire good design and management to operateeffectively. Tools are required to monitor,evaluate and audit pressurised irrigation systemperformance.CRC IF ToolPIMSA wireless monitoring system. PIMS is a versatiletool kit which is used for irrigation performanceassessments. Continuous irrigation systemmonitoring with PIMS adds value to performanceassessment by providing data on irrigationparameters across the complete irrigation cycle,which is essential if the pump performs variableduties during that cycle. PIMS remotely monitorspump suction, dam or bore water level, multiplepressure points, water quality and fuelconsumption simultaneously.

CRC IF ToolReady Reckoner and monolayersThe CRC has produced a dam evaporation ReadyReckoner that allows users to enter information abouttheir farm dams and work out how much water can besaved, and at what cost.To reduce evaporation from large dams the CRC forIrrigation Futures has been working with the CottonCatchment Communities CRC and Polymers CRC todesign and test new compounds to reduce evaporationfrom large dam surfaces. A thin liquid coating called amonolayer that limits the escape of water vapour fromlarge dams will result in big water savings.CRC IF ToolIPERTThe Irrigation Pump Evaluation andReporting Tool (IPERT) is designed toevaluate irrigation pumping systems. Theprogram consists of an online data entryinterface linked to a centralised database.IPERT provides a range of functionsincluding standardisation of on-farm datarecord acquisition, calculation andpresentation of irrigation pumping systemevaluation indices and automatedgeneration of grower recommendations.Irrigation IssueReducing dam evaporation and seepage.Evaporation and seepage loss from Australia’stwo million farm dams is estimated at 1,320,000megalitres every year. The CRC has beeninvolved in developing and assessing ways toreduce these losses. Even a 30 per centreduction would save 260,000 megalitres ofwater a year from being lost throughevaporation.CRC IF ToolEvapCalcEvapCalc allows consultants and designers tomeasure and make informed managementdecisions to reduce evaporation and seepagelosses from farm dams and channels. The toolprovides a measurement system for estimatingseepage and evaporation losses from individualdams.

January 2010For more informationon the CRC for Irrigation Futures’ research programs andprojects, visit the CRC’s website at www.irrigationfutures.org.au.LEGACYThe Toolkits for Improving Irrigation Practice Program has opened up powerful opportunities inwater management. The ability to build current datasets from irrigator practice on a large scale willopen new paradigms, as we have witnessed in finance, entertainment and communications. Theway in which systems such as IrriSATSMS and EvapCalc can accumulate real information onphysical features and irrigator practice opens up new insights into the processes driving watermanagement. The success of the CRC for Irrigation Futures lies in the fact these systems havemade it off the test bench and into commercial practice.Technology will continually open new opportunities for natural resource management. Howeverthese opportunities have to be exploited, and supported by a sound understanding of the systemswhich are the resource base.CRC IF Publications June 2010For a full list of our reports, please visit www.irrigationfutures.org.au/publications.asp and look under products forpublication. All of reports are available for download at no charge.Irrigation Matters Report No. 04/09Planning and Managing Centre Pivot andLinear Move Irrigation in the Southern RiverinaAdrian Smith and Sam NorthNovember 2009highlights 2008Technical Report No. 01/10Investment in Irrigation Technology: Water UseChange, Public Policy and UncertaintyAnthea McClintockBETTER IRRIGATIONBETTER ENVIRONMENT BETTER FUTUREBETTER IRRIGATIONBETTER ENVIRONMENT BETTER FUTUREwww.irrigationfutures.org.au