ARTICLE FUTURE-PROOFING WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S SOUTH-WEST The Southern Forests region around Manjimup and Pemberton is one of Western Australia’s most significant horticultural regions, however, climate change is expected to limit future water availability under current water management practices. To support the sustainability and expansion of the region, the Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme (SFIS) will provide a new, innovative way to secure reliable, good quality water supply all year round by improving water storage and distribution through a new dam, pipeline and pumping infrastructure. Jeremy Bower, CEO of the SF Irrigation Co-operative (SFIC), describes the project.
The Southern Forests region is one of Western Australia's most significant horticultural production regions.
32
Western Australia’s Manjimup-Pemberton area is one of the state’s prime food hubs and is the largest economic contributor from irrigated agriculture. It is predicted, however, that this area will be one of the hardest hit by climate change, with models projecting rainfall could decline by up to 25 per cent in coming decades. In fact, the area is already receiving less rain than in the past. Currently, farmers capture and store water in dams for irrigation during summer. However, rainfall and inflow to dams are highly variable in some areas, and water quality can be poor at the end of the irrigation season. As well, limited access to good dam sites in some locations has constrained the growth of the irrigation industry in the region. This current system of water capture also means that water cannot be shared with other growers and put it to its most productive use.
