Our Vision Healthy, resilient and increasingly productive landscapes supporting vibrant communities Integration of the Farm Water Program with the Goulburn

Our VisionHealthy, resilient and increasingly productive landscapes

supporting vibrant communities

Integration of the Farm Water Program with the Goulburn Murray

Water Connections Program

Chris Nicholson

Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority

Jacki Tomlinson

Goulburn Murray Water



Regional Context – The Goulburn Murray Irrigation District



Modernisation

• Irrigation modernisation in Northern Victoria – Future Flow

– The Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project (NVIRP)

– Goulburn Murray Water Connections Project



GMW Connections Project

• $ 2 Billion Project• 429 GL Water Savings• Two stage project funded by Victorian and Federal

Governments and Melbourne Water• Components:

– Backbone modernisation– Connections– Special projects, e.g. environmental enhancements




Goals• Provide a more efficient and affordable irrigation

delivery network

• Ability to deliver an improved level of water delivery

• Increase on-farm productivity






Achievements to date• Channel Rationalisation 476 Km

• Meters installed 6526

• Delivery Shares connected 2051

• Landowners to be consulted 7390



Farm Water Program

• What is the Farm Water Program? – On Farm upgrades that support the development of

productive, profitable and water efficient farms into the future

• The Farm Water Program has secured in excess of $200M over 10 years for this development



What’s been achieved

Farm Water Program

Number of Projects

Funding ($million)

Water savings (GL)

Water savings transferred to Commonwealth (GL)

Round 1

148

34.95

18.39

9.39

Round 2

233

61.18

33.21

16.61

Round 3

130

28.24

16.61

9.81

Total

511

124.37

68.21

35.80



The Goulburn Murray Irrigation District – Project Locations







Partnership approach



Farm Water Program- Key Eligibility

Two main eligibility criteria for Landowners to participate

1. That they have a whole farm plan that reflects the proposed works

2. That they are connected to the modernised delivery system



Integration of Programs

Pros• Better outcome for landowners

• Greater opportunities for rationalisation of irrigation infrastructure

• Certainty for Government Investment




Cons• Extra effort required to ensure the aligning of the

programs

• Potential time delays in projects becoming eligible

• Landowner angst due to uncertainty of future funding




Key• Communication, Communication, Communication

– Communication between Programs

– Communication with Landowners

– Communication with Service Providers

– Communication with Funding Partners



Integration Case Study



Case study-before



Case study- After



Case study- Outcomes

• Rationalisation of – approximately 3 kms of GMW supply channel– 5 irrigation meters– 3.41 ML/d delivery share– Countless farm irrigation structures and kms of farm channel

• Installation of– 2 Pump stations on “backbone channel”– 1 fixed Centre Pivot– 1 towable Centre Pivot



Case study- landowner outcomes

• Delivery System Modernisation has led to Improvements in;– Channel heights– Flow reliability– Water ordering (From 4 days to 48 hours)

• On farm– Reduced labour– More precise application of water (Spring/Autumn)– Water Savings– Increased Productivity



“We would have not been able to undertake this project in its entirety if we were not able to combine the opportunities presented by the GMW connections project and the Farm Water Program. The resulting outcome has not only increased our production while using less water but has made irrigating a pleasure!”



Thank you

Documents

Our Vision Healthy, resilient and increasingly productive landscapes supporting vibrant communities Integration of the Farm Water Program with the Goulburn