ARTICLE PUMPING SYSTEM SUPPLIES FARM’S WATER NEEDS SNAPSHOT • Project specifies four pumps for irrigation, stock and domestic supply • Farm plan requires use of groundwater and exclusion of stock from the river and riparian zone, which is treated as a conservation area • Groundwater is pumped into a holding tanks and then distributed for irrigation and domestic and stock use • After a year the pumps are running as designed and energy bills are lower than expected.
After buying a 16 ha farm near Eildon in Victoria that had a semi-established truffle orchard of 980 English oak and stone pine trees, Jamie Crowe, who also owns Melbourne-based JWC Plumbing, realised that there was some work to be done to ensure that the trees had access to irrigation water. Early stages of groundworks to facilitate new irrigation lines.
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As well, water was needed to supply stock and domestic needs. While the simple option would have been to source water from the river that the farm fronted and to which it had riparian rights, Jamie decided that fundamental to his property strategy was that he would not use river water or allow stock into the riparian zone. Rather, he made a conscious decision not to draw water from the river but to leave it in its natural state, which was as a significant natural habitat for many species of animals and plants. After investigation, a groundwater source that could supply the 6 ML a year needed was found on the farm. The water was at a depth of 75 m and was of drinking water quality. The task for dealer Yves Gur from Idrill Ipump and Jamie was to set up a pumping system that efficiently and reliably supplied water for irrigation as well as for stock and domestic use.
