ountry News Co
Water Talk Reaching Australia ’s richest agricultural region
E 12-PAUG RE FEAaTy 2015 M
Water hike Northern Victorian farmers are looking at other options after a season of higher water prices — page 2 Price forecast for next season — page 3 | What future for the G-MW board? — page 6 Water technology expo this month — page 11
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PAGE 2—‘Water Talk’, May, 2015
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Politics cause a new drought outhern Riverina Irrigators has told S Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce its members are facing a new
political drought caused by water being purchased by the Commonwealth. Chairman John Bradford said it was ‘‘all very good to talk about developing irrigation infrastructure further north, but in the Riverina we have the existing resources such as infrastructure, transport, irrigation layout and a proven record in producing large quantities of food and fibre’’. ‘‘All we need is access to water,’’ he said. Mr Bradford met Senator Joyce at the Global Food Forum in Melbourne last month. Mr Bradford said Mr Joyce agreed environmental water should be put back into productive use in years of excess and he was also supportive of legislating the 1500 Gl cap on water buybacks. ‘‘I also had a long discussion with Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Opposition Agriculture spokesman, who like Mr Joyce, was a speaker at the forum, and I was impressed by his readiness to find out our association’s perspective on the buybacks. ‘‘He was supportive of the cap in principle, notwithstanding he has not yet seen the legislation.’’ Mr Bradford said Mr Joyce was a fairly regular visitor to the region and he extended the invitation to Mr Fitzgibbon to come and visit. ‘‘He seemed keen to take up the offer. ‘‘I believe the food forum was a great platform to highlight the issues that irrigators are facing due to the implementation of the basin plan and I’m pleased I made the trip,’’ Mr Bradford said.
Farmers relying on pasture to lift milk production are faced with continuing high prices for temporary water.
Water price dictates farmers’ decisions
ost dairy farmers in northern M Victoria have been keeping a keen eye on temporary water prices this
season. With prices peaking around $150/Ml, many farmers have been left shaking their heads wondering where it is going to end. The continual upward pressure in pricing is affecting the bottom line of our region’s farmers who are struggling to recover from the previous decade of droughts, floods, locusts and the global financial crisis. Young farmer Jason Smith is heading into his third year of farm ownership and temporary water prices have significantly impacted his management decisions this season. With no permanent allocation, all his water requirements are sourced on the temporary market. He has only been able to afford to buy enough water to irrigate two-thirds of his Cohuna farm once this autumn. ‘‘Normally I would be grazing grass by now but because this season’s prices have been so high and you have to pay for water straight away, I just haven’t been in the financial position to do that,’’ Mr Smith said. ‘‘Instead I have truck loads of hay coming in because at least I can get terms on that. ‘‘Not being able to make the right decisions at the right time severely impacts you down the track and I am feeling that now.’’ Mr Smith said he was considering looking at long-term leasing of water and while it was a more costly way to do things, he said for budgeting purposes a fixed contract pricing was in some ways easier because he knows exactly what he is up for. The talk of higher prices next year is cause for major concern he said. Like Mr Smith, Bamawm dairy farmer
❝Normally I would be grazing grass by now but because this season’s prices have been so high and you have to pay for water straight away, I just haven’t been in the financial position to do that.❞ Cohuna farmer Jason Smith Brent Mitchell said temporary water prices were a concern for his business. He sources half of his water requirements through the temporary market and has paid an average price of $125/Ml this season. ‘‘I can live with prices at $125. I don’t like it and would prefer it cheaper of course but once it gets up and over $150 we have to look at other alternatives,’’ Mr Mitchell said. ‘‘I want to feed grass to my cows because it is still the cheapest feed source I have access to. ‘‘I find it frustrating that someone with no interest in agriculture other than to make a quick dollar out of us, can own water. ‘‘The repercussions they have on farmers and our communities are terrible as they continue to push the price up. ‘‘There will come a time when we simply won’t be able to afford to buy water and what happens then?’’ Mr Mitchell also said low milk prices and the continual rising cost of production made it impossible to compete against other agricultural industries who could afford to pay more for a megalitre of water then the dairy industry. For Katandra West dairy farmers Laurie and Gayle Clark, it is more about what they can grow with the megalitre of water than the price.
This season, sourcing half of their water requirements through the temporary market, saw the Clarks paying on average around $110/Ml and by the time it went through the wheel, the price was up to about $120. ‘‘You just have to make a decision and stick to it,’’ Mr Clark said. ‘‘It is a market and prices can go up and down but for us it is always about what we can grow from that meg of water. ‘‘We work on fully forage feeding the cows at a stocking rate of 2.5 cows to the hectare and we use less than 2 Ml of water per cow to do this.’’ Mr Clark said he avoided growing summer pasture, instead preferring to grow shaftal and Italian pastures on all his irrigated area for the autumn to spring period. This summer 25 to 30 per cent of the farm was sown to sorghum, primarily for its water efficiency. ‘‘What we do isn’t for everyone but it works for us,’’ Mr Clark said. ‘‘The key message I have is to grow as much fodder as you can from every single megalitre you use. ‘‘As dairy farmers the cheapest feed source we have is generally going to be what we can grow ourselves and be directly consumed by our cows from the paddock.’’
— Sophie Bruns
‘Water Talk’, May, 2015—PAGE 3
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Higher prices tipped llocation prices to A irrigators are set to climb this season, Kilter
VFF water policy spokesman Richard Anderson wants clearer water pricing.
VFF calls for transparency
ater pricing by W Goulburn-Murray Water needs to be more
transparent to irrigators, VFF water policy spokesman Richard Anderson says. The water corporation has been engaging irrigators in discussions on water pricing in preparation for its next three-year water plan. Mr Anderson, a Rochester irrigator who has spent a number of years on G-MW water services committees, said one of the biggest issues at the moment was transparency in the pricing mechanisms used by the corporation. Mr Anderson wants to see the individual charges for the infrastructure access fees and delivery fees broken down so irrigators can see what is being apportioned to those charges. ‘‘We want to know more about what we are paying for,’’ he said. ‘‘We’d like to see them pulled apart so we can see what’s there. I think that’s
the next step in pricing discussions. ‘‘I think we need to go a little deeper, and not just stick around the edges.’’' Mr Anderson said a large percentage of water was now owned by environmental water holders including the Commonwealth, which did not pay an infrastructure access fee, as ordinary irrigators were required to. A breakdown of costs would bring to light any anomalies in how costs were apportioned. Asked if farmers were interested in this sort of detail, Mr Anderson said they were more switched on today than ever before and were more educated about finances. He believed many G-MW customers would be interested in seeing how the costs are calculated. G-MW has been working closely with its water service committees, who represent G-MW customers, to develop its water plan for 2016-17 to 2019-20.
G-MW is required to prepare a water plan every three to four years. This plan is used by the Essential Services Commission to assess the levels of service and the revenue G-MW will require over that period, and to approve or determine the manner in which G-MW’s prices will be set. The water plan details operating costs, capital expenditure, cost-saving measures, pricing and revenue needed to carry out the services G-MW delivers to its customers. The water plan also details the ongoing focus on efficiency, with G-MW committed to reduce $20 million of operating costs from the organisation by June 30, 2018. G-MW says $10 million in operational savings have already been achieved in the past 18 months through organisational restructure, reduced red tape and greater use of automated systems.
Rural says. Kilter Rural, a provider of water to irrigators in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, recently set its predicted future delivery price for 2015-16 at $150/Ml. This time last year, the future delivery price was $110/Ml. In the past eight years Kilter Rural has built a diverse portfolio of water entitlements that it uses to supply a range of products to more than 100 irrigators spread across the southern basin. Goulburn Valley dairy farmers Geoff and Spencer Rendell first purchased a future delivery with Kilter Rural in 2013. They said future delivery provided them security and an ability to budget their cash flow in the coming season. ‘‘We are not worried about where the allocation price gets to next year because we use a number of Kilter’s long and shortterm products to manage our water price down,’’ Geoff said. In setting its future delivery price, Kilter Rural considers a broad range of factors on both the supply and demand side.
These include current water levels in storage, allocated but undelivered allocation volumes, the seasonal rainfall outlook, commodity prices and industry developments. ‘‘We set our future delivery price to reflect our assessment of the likely volume weighted average allocation price for the coming season,’’ Kilter Rural business development manager Rod Luke said. ‘‘For example, the yearto-date volume weighted average price in the Goulburn and Murray systems is currently $116/Ml, compared to our future deliver price for this season of $110/Ml.’’ Mr Luke said contracts enabled irrigators to lock in volumes, prices and delivery dates in advance, providing real benefits for business planning. ‘‘Clients secure the product with an initial $10/Ml deposit. Water is then paid for and delivered in three instalments of 20 per cent on August 15, 40 per cent on November 15 and 40 per cent on January 15.’’ He said with a number of organisations now in the market offering future delivery contracts, it was important to understand details such as when
payment and delivery occur. Kilter Rural also offers a range of other water products — such as longer term leasing of high, general and low-reliability water entitlements — from a number of southern basin catchments. The company also offers purchase and lease-back arrangements, which enable irrigators to unlock the value embodied in their water entitlement assets. Water allocation products include sales with deferred payment terms, carryover facilities and the opportunity to enter into water sharefarm agreements where water allocation is supplied in exchange for a share of the proceeds from the crop it is used to water. ‘‘In our view, the demand for water products will continue to grow as irrigators recognise the opportunity they provide to budget, plan and fully leverage their investment,’’ Mr Luke said. ➤ For more information on future delivery and the range of water solutions available through Kilter Rural, phone Rod Luke on 0417 102 561. — Alexandra Bathman
— Geoff Adams
oung people working in agriculture Y in the Murray Irrigation Area are set to benefit from a course beginning at
➤ For details, phone TAFE NSW Riverina Institute on 1300 TAFE RI (1300 823 374) or visit www.rit.tafensw.edu.au
ia Austral
TAFE NSW Riverina Institute this July. The Diploma of Agriculture at Riverina Institute has been redesigned with a specific focus on irrigation. In recent years the Murray Irrigation Area has seen many young people return to family farms. These young people are now seeking to build on their existing skills and improve their knowledge of the farming business. ‘‘We consulted extensively with industry specialists throughout the development of the diploma,’’ Riverina Institute workforce and community development manager Shandra Simpson said. ‘‘We have many young people working on properties around us that want to build
their management expertise while remaining fully engaged with their farming enterprise or existing business. ‘‘This diploma will provide the latest knowledge as well as give students an opportunity to network with others living and working in the same industry.’’ Leading industry specialists will visit classes to share their unique knowledge, with local industry providers set to host students on field trips and study tours. The Diploma of Agriculture with a focus on irrigation is an 18-month course offered at Riverina Institute’s Deniliquin Campus, featuring a series of workshops, short study tours, farm visits and project work. Classes begin in July.
n
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Ow ne d &
PAGE 4—‘Water Talk’, May, 2015
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Targeting arrowhead hree-hundred-and-thirty T kilometres of Goulburn-Murray Water channels will be drained and
ost Australians will get above-average rain M and warmer nights heading into winter but a drought-inducing El Nin ˜ o may still take hold by
Goulburn-Murray Water will spray channels for noxious weeds during the irrigation off-season. program and reminded them to make sure they have an alternate water supply — such as tanks or a dam — between May 15 and August 15.’’ Murray Valley Water Services Committee chair Jason Andrews welcomed the spraying program. ‘‘The herbicide has proved to be effective when used in other irrigation areas,’’ Mr Andrews said. ‘‘As a dairy farmer, it’s important that my flow rates are consistent and reliable. ‘‘Arrowhead affects flow and delivery
Connections Project
so it’s terrific that G-MW has looked at a new and better way to get on top of this weed.’’ The weed-spraying program is part of G-MW’s broader $50 million winter works program. Each year during the irrigation offseason, G-MW drains channels so it can carry out important works, such as weed control, channel maintenance, infrastructure repairs and replacement to ensure the efficient delivery of water to customers during the irrigation period.
“
spring. That’s the prediction from the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest three-monthly climate outlook, which forecasts only Tasmania, southern Victoria, the northern tip of Cape York and Arnhem Land may miss out on above-average rain between May and July. BoM climate prediction service manager Andrew Watkins said unusually warm Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures were bringing moisture to Australia. ‘‘That’s what’s expected to be the dominant influence in our climate at least for the next couple of months,’’ Dr Watkins said. BoM said there was at least a 70 per cent chance of an El Nin ˜o developing in the central Pacific Ocean by winter, which brings drier conditions to eastern Australia. But Dr Watkins said even without its warmth this year, the Indian Ocean tends to send moisture our way at this time of year, while the Pacific Ocean influence and El Nin ˜o tends to occur more towards spring. ‘‘So we’re saying to people that we’re looking good in many areas in terms of rainfall but be a little cautious because if the El Nin ˜o keeps developing the way it is, it may come to dominate our climate later in the year,’’ he said. The extra rain may warm our winter nights, Dr Watkins said. Day-time temperatures are likely to be warmer than normal in Australia’s far north and far south from May to July, with cooler days in large areas of central WA, northern SA and western NSW. But overnight temperatures are likely to be warmer over most of Australia. ‘‘Nights are looking warmer than normal, and that’s probably because of the extra cloud that will come in with the extra rainfall, hence that acts like a bit of a blanket and traps some of the heat in.’’
This has turned almost dry land into highly productive land
“
sprayed for the weed arrowhead during the irrigation off-season. G-MW general manager Charlotte Bartrum-Terrill said arrowhead was a noxious weed that affected the efficient delivery of irrigation water to customers. ‘‘Arrowhead is one of the most troublesome aquatic weeds in our irrigation distribution system,’’ Ms Bartrum-Terrill said. ‘‘It affects water flow, promotes silting and causes problems with the automated regulators, impacting water delivery to customers.’’ G-MW will use the herbicide Arsenal Xpress to spray channels in the Shepparton, Central Goulburn and Murray Valley irrigation areas. ‘‘Arrowhead has an extensive root network, making it tolerant to herbicides that are applied only to its leaves,’’ Ms Bartrum-Terrill said. ‘‘We have found that Arsenal Xpress provides excellent control of arrowhead because it acts on all parts of the plant.’’ The herbicide will be applied to weeds in the drained channels from May 15 and then left to absorb for several weeks. The channels will then be refilled from August 1. ‘‘It is really important customers do not access water for stock and domestic use, irrigating or any other purpose from these treated channels, at any time between May 15 and August 15,’’ Ms Bartrum-Terrill said. ‘‘We have contacted all our customers along the channels to be treated to inform them of the spraying
Bureau tips wetter months
Nathan can irrigate twice as much per day Dairy cows reap the benefits of better irrigation systems. Getting water on and off pasture is a huge benefit for Nathan Shannon. It’s what experts say will achieve the greatest growing results for the pasture at his Naring dairy farm. But, it wasn’t until Mr Shannon’s irrigation system was upgraded through Goulburn-Murray Water’s (GMW) Connections Project that he could irrigate this way. “The biggest benefit for us is being able to put water on and get it off in four hours,” Mr Shannon said. “I can irrigate twice as much per day and with the high flow rate I can get more again.” For the full story about Nathan’s irrigation upgrade, visit www.gmwconnectionsproject.com.au
‘Water Talk’, May, 2015—PAGE 5
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Calling for irrigators oulburn Valley irrigators G are being encouraged to apply for the next Goulburn-
Murray Water board after the Victorian Government announced water boards would be dissolved. Murray Valley Water Services Committee chair Jason Andrew was surprised by the spill, but hoped to see more irrigators get involved. ‘‘I would like to see more irrigators and I would like to see an election of the board members, other than government appointment,’’ the Numurkah dairy farmer said. The current G-MW board has three irrigators: Dennis Moon from Rochester, Neil Pankhurst from Tongala and Ian Mansbridge from Pompapiel. ‘‘Financially they (the current board) steer the business to what I can see is a pretty viable business,’’ Mr Andrew said. ‘‘New people come along and they will (also) have a certain skill or knowledge.’’ VFF Water Council chair Richard Anderson also encouraged farmers and irrigators to put themselves forward for the board process, which aims to have 19 new
boards in place by October 1. ‘‘We encourage irrigators who have an interest to put in an expression of interest – it’ good to have local people involved,’’ Mr Anderson said. ‘‘Rural water authorities are big businesses who are there to deliver services to irrigators. We need to ensure that people with the right mix of skills and experience are appointed to boards.’’ He also encouraged some of the current board members to re-nominate. ‘‘We need some continuity. If all the knowledge walks out the door then we’ll spend the next two years bringing completely new boards up to speed.’’ Mr Anderson said that aside from seeing advertisements calling for expressions of interest, the industry remained quiet on the topic, and Mr Andrews said water price was still the main concern for irrigators. ‘‘I am concerned about the price of water and the price going up, but that could happen with the old board and it could happen with the new board,’’ he said. — Alexandra Bathman
Sacking concerns: Walsh ormer Victorian Water F Minister and new leader of the Nationals, Peter Walsh, said
the sacking of the state’s water board members was a slur on the professionalism of the people appointed to those boards. The Victorian Government called for the spill of all 19 of the state’s water boards last month and reappointments will need to be made before October. Current board members are invited to reapply but Mr Walsh claimed some were concerned they may not receive a place because of their gender. The Labor Government is hoping to appoint 50 per cent women to the boards, which Mr Walsh agreed with. ‘‘I have no argument with that and we currently achieved that with directors,’’ he said. However, he felt a better approach was waiting until the positions naturally came up for reappointment to gradually address gender imbalance. He said Goulburn-Murray Water’s real challenge was recruiting a new chief executive, with uncertainty surrounding who will be appointed to the board. ‘‘They won’t know who they will be working under, if they will be getting a new board/chair or not.’’ Mr Walsh said it was vital that boards contained a broad skill set. ‘‘It’s no good having all financial wizards’’ Even though the new board members would be appointed by the Labor party, he was not
Nationals leader and former Victorian Water Minister Peter Walsh. concerned that they would be chosen depending on their political persuasion. He said when he was water minister, he knew of board members who were not Nationals supporters and the selection process did not factor in the individuals’ political leaning. While the idea of irrigator-elected water boards was an issue discussed when the Coalition was in power, he did not consider it to be a legitimate way to run the boards. He preferred to stay with government appointments because it would be difficult to decipher how irrigators could vote. If the number of votes was based on how many delivery shares a
farmer had, large farmers would have the advantage but if it was one vote per irrigator, smaller hobby farmers would hold the balance of power. When asked if he felt board members’ reputations could be tarnished if they were not reappointed, he said the roles were not significant employment — only four days a month — and the situation would be understood by the community. ‘‘The community will understand the general political practice and no one questions (board members’) ability and integrity — except the (water) minister,’’ he said. — Elaine Cooney
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‘Water Talk’, May, 2015—PAGE 7
water talk
Basin plan reaching milestones ajor milestones of the M Murray-Darling Basin Plan have been met and good
progress has been made on important components of water reform, according to an annual report released recently. Murray-Darling Basin Authority chief executive Rhondda Dickson said the report highlighted the achievements by governments, as well as the work on social, economic and environmental monitoring, over 2013-14. ‘‘It’s clear that a lot of ground
was covered, particularly the work by state and Commonwealth agencies on community engagement, environmental watering and water quality and salinity,’’ Dr Dickson said. ‘‘Environmental watering activities by Commonwealth and state agencies in 2013-14 saw priority areas receive about 2000 Gl of water — the re-use of water as it travelled through the system supported birds and fish, improved vegetation, wetland and flood-plain health and helped out
refuge areas in the droughtaffected north. ‘‘The work that states have done on water quality and salinity has also been significant, resulting in vastly improved conditions over the past 20 years.’’ Dr Dickson said the report also highlighted progress made to monitor the social and economic effects of the basin plan and other water reform activities. ‘‘With communities, we’ve developed social and economic indicators that we’ll continue to
track over the coming years to see how the reforms are affecting basin communities and industries. ‘‘There are many factors that drive change in communities so we’re also monitoring a wide range of trends and economic influences and we’re getting communities to help us analyse these. ‘‘The positive effects of the government’s $508 million investment over 2013-14 in infrastructure and water efficiency programs is showing how water
reform investment is benefiting communities. ‘‘There’s been some movement in temporary water prices so we’ll continue to monitor this to see if it is a short-term response to dry conditions, water allocations, changes to water trading rules or something else.’’ Dr Dickson said future annual reports would address the effects of new activities and programs as they were rolled out. ➤ The basin plan annual report is available at www.mdba.gov.au
Press ‘pause’ on the plan, says senator ndependent Senator IJohn Madigan wonders
why there is such a big push to recover more environmental water for the Murray-Darling Basin when flows have been maintained in dry times. ‘‘In my lifetime I have never seen the Murray as low as what it is in some of the old photos where a horse and jinker straddles it,’’ the Ballarat-based senator said in Shepparton recently. ‘‘Not in my lifetime have I seen it and I have been coming up to the river with
my parents and in my adult life.’’ Senator Madigan was in the Goulburn Valley to meet about 30 farmers and rural businesspeople for a dinner organised by Goulburn Valley farmers. He was joined by Senator Ricky Muir, from the Motoring Enthusiasts Party, who said he wanted to hear directly from people about northern Victorian water issues. Senator Madigan is about to register his new political party called the Manufacturing and Farming Party.
He wants to see a pause in the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan while its progressive outcomes are evaluated. He believes rural people in the basin are conscious of the needs of the river systems, but there is a danger of taking too much water away from the communities who rely on the water. ‘‘I haven’t spoken to one person, in one of our regional cities, or out on a farm in the back blocks, who doesn’t believe we need to have social, economic and environmental outcomes.’’
Senator Madigan on a visit to the Goulburn Valley.
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MDBA’s basin plan achievements: he Murray-Darling T Basin Authority has reported the following
achievements during the past year: ➤ The MDBA, basin states and Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder formally agreed on how they would work together to implement the basin plan. ➤ The Federal Government invested $508 million in water-efficient infrastructure and $56 million in water buybacks to recover water for the environment, bringing the total water recovered to around 70 per cent of the water recovery target. ➤ Work commenced on industry and community case studies for areas that are most likely to be affected by water reforms. This includes the midMurrumbidgee and northern basin, and cotton and dairy farming.
➤ The MDBA worked with Aboriginal advisory groups to trial the Aboriginal Cultural Flows Health Indicator. This is a tool for Aboriginal communities to consistently measure and prioritise river and wetland health so that they are better placed to negotiate for their country’s water needs. ➤ New water trading rules started on July 1, 2014. The rules make it easier for water users to take advantage of market opportunities. ➤ Water quality and salinity targets were met in 2013-14, although the effects of the millennium drought can still be seen in the five-year averages measured at Milang in South Australia. ➤ The basin-wide environmental watering strategy was developed and released in November 2014.
The strategy guides the use of environmental water across the basin and outlines expected environmental outcomes that the MDBA will use to evaluate the effectiveness of the basin plan. ➤ The MDBA published the constraints management strategy. It will help governments and the community address barriers to achieving better environmental outcomes. ➤ The method for adjusting sustainable diversion limits was developed and basin state governments brought forward 17 proposals for consideration. ➤ The MDBA worked with scientific experts and the Northern Basin Advisory Committee to improve knowledge about environmental water requirements in the northern basin.
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PAGE 8—‘Water Talk’, May, 2015
water talk
Drop in to get water answers oulburn-Murray Water G will host a series of dropin sessions to help customers
Onleys staff Glen Gamble and Eric Hillbrich examine the results of a pH survey.
Technology boosts soil mapping data
T
he ability to efficiently map soil pH, texture, organic matter and elevations in a single pass is now a reality with the use of a Veris MSP3. Onleys recently took delivery of the equipment and put it through its paces on a Kialla property with great results last week. The machine was built in the United States and is equipped with two pH probes capable of sampling up to 30 points per hectare and six coulter-electrodes measuring electrical conductivity (EC) at multiple depths up to 90 cm. Adrian Roles, who is a distributor for the machine, said it was capable of giving data fast by using Onleys’ existing RTK GPS equipment for measuring location and height, and a dual-wavelength optical sensor (OM) measuring soil colour in the red and infrared light spectrums between 2.5 cm and 7.6 cm underground. Mr Roles said further sensors may be added to the system in the near future.
‘‘We expect to be mapping soil compaction with this machine in the same path in the near future,’’ he said. ‘‘This will allow growers to pick those parts of the paddock that are suffering from hard pan issues and these could potentially be targeted with strategic deep ripping or gypsum application. ‘‘Early trials indicated that our clients are achieving an 18 to 30 per cent reduction in lime requirements based on the pH data set alone which more than pays for the cost of mapping.’’ Onleys business development manager Eric Hillbrich said the data set created using the machine has a huge array of potential uses including the creation of variable rate sowing, fertiliser and spray recommendations, finding the ideal location to install a soil water probe, the creation of weed maps, drainage design, herbicide carryover risk assessment and of course variable rate lime and gypsum application.
Mr Hillbrich said there was potential for the use of EC, OM and pH data to identify areas of a paddock where topsoil had been buried during the early days of laser grading. ‘‘The volume of buried topsoil can be quantified and this way the farmer or contractor can then make an informed decision about the true cost of re-grading irrigated bays and whether it will be worthwhile recovering lost topsoil,’’ he said. ‘‘This will take some of the unknown out of re-grading an old bay.’’ He said the new machine would be ideal for the smaller paddock sizes associated with irrigated agriculture and ‘‘gives us the ability to assist irrigators with their precision ag programs’’. ‘‘We’re happy to work one-onone with individual farmers or with agronomists who can see the benefit that this data set will have on their clients’ business.’’
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The Choice is Simple.
“
ondering how high the W Murray River is at Swan Hill, what salinity is like at Tocumwal, or how much water is in Hume Dam? The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has given its online river data a major facelift. A dedicated site now provides easier access to current and historic river data using an interactive map showing information from more than 60 places on the Murray River system. MDBA river operations spokesman Joseph Davis said river data had always been the most popular feature on the MDBA website, receiving more than 100 000 visitors last year. ‘‘This overhaul gives people a much easier way to search and view the information they’re interested in.’’ Dr Davis said there were a
number of new features on the revamped site. ‘‘Our river data flags those locations where there’s been a recent update, such as announcements of lock or weir closures for works, or advice about changes in river heights,’’ he said. ‘‘The site is also now mobile and tablet-friendly, meaning you can access it while you’re on the river or out in your paddock.’’ ➤ Users can bookmark the new site at http://livedata.mdba. gov.au and provide feedback on the new functions by using the ‘contact us’ form on the MDBA’s website. ➤ The MDBA manages the Murray River on behalf of basin governments. For similar information about other rivers in the basin, people should check the website of the relevant state water agency.
See us at the WTC Irrigation Expo! 20th/21st May Shepparton Showgrounds.
Eagle i understands We are farmers who live north east of Kyabram. We recently purchased two T-L centre pivot irrigators from Eagle i: one fixed and one a towable unit. This year we have been able to — for the first time in a long time — finish off our crops and plant 80 ha of maize that will either go for silage or grain.
Eagle i Machinery Pty Ltd ** NOW OPEN ** Newell Highway, Finley NSW Phone Peter on 0427 056 240 or Brad on 0429 658 334 Or Email peter@eaglei.com.au
We looked into three leading brands of pivots and T-L was our pick. T-L are hydraulically driven and are very simple to operate. Our decision to choose T-L was not done on price alone. We found the people at Eagle i in Finley, mainly being Brad and Peter, very understanding of what we required as farmers. With Eagle i, we felt very comfortable with the decisions they were helping us to make in buying a T-L centre pivot.
Richard and Tania Russell
➤ Sessions will take place at the following places and times: Cobram: May 5 from 9 am to 4 pm at the G-MW Customer Service Centre, 2-4 Dillon St. Kyabram: May 5 from 9 am to 4 pm at the G-MW Customer Service Centre, 79 McCormick Rd.
Watching the river
Come and see us at our new warehouse on the Newell Highway in Finley. We have the parts and technicians to support existing and future T-L clients.
THE T-L DIFFERENCE PROVEN TECHNOLOGY THAT WORKS!
plan for the end of the 2014-15 irrigation season and make the most of their unused water allocation. G-MW head of customer service and operations Daniel Irwin said customers could drop in and discuss their individual circumstances with G-MW staff. ‘‘We understand just how important it is for customers to make informed and timely decisions about how they manage their water allocation and any costs related to those decisions,’’ Mr Irwin said. ‘‘Our staff will be available over the next fortnight at a range of locations to provide customers with information about their unused water allocation options, including using, selling, relinquishing or carrying water over.’’ Customers who choose to use their potentially unused water allocation must place a water order with G-MW by close of business on May 11. Customers who choose to sell
their unused water allocation could either find a buyer themselves or engage a water broker or solicitor to find a buyer. The deadline for submitting a manual application to trade water allocation to G-MW is close of business on June 19. Online trade applications can be lodged before 5 pm on June 30. Customers who choose to relinquish their unused water allocation can do so by contacting G-MW before close of business on June 19 or applying online at waterregister.vic.gov.au Carryover is not available to customers who are on the Ovens and King systems or in the Tungamah and Loddon water districts.
”
www.eaglei.com.au
‘Water Talk’, May, 2015—PAGE 9
water talk
BCS is making the earth move arthworks expert E Bernie Cornfoot and Sons Earthmoving has
worked on projects as diverse as mine establishment and rehabilitation to the Melbourne Markets relocation project at Epping on Melbourne’s outskirts. But BCS says a common thread to its earthworks formations, final trim and associated infrastructure works is an enthusiastic workforce that enjoys continual training and inclusive project involvement to operate under full GPS machine control or visual control. ‘‘At the beginning of April this year we constructed a lateral channel for Andrew and Paul Christian in the wheat country west of Echuca,’’ Gary Sharp from BCS said. ‘‘The 1.5 km long and 15 m wide channel was a cut-and-fill exercise achieved in four days. ‘‘The grade of the channel was accurately constructed using scrapers and grader that were GPS-controlled using digital design files. ‘‘Our clients were amazed at the accuracy and efficiency of the project and water is now flowing.’’ Mr Sharp said the company’s primary
business was site strips, bulk earthworks and pavement construction. ‘‘We can also price services installation and stormwater works.’’ Bernie Cornfoot and Sons Earthmoving was established by Bernie Cornfoot in 1985 to continue his family’s long association with earthworks construction. It operates a diverse range of heavy plant and equipment servicing the building industry, civil engineering, agriculture and construction industries across Australia. Mr Sharp said hazard identification and control of day-to-day and activitybased hazards was not an ‘‘add-on’’ to the company’s works, but an integral part of providing reliable and responsible project management. ‘‘Safety in our workplaces guides the planning, management and delivery of the works. ‘‘Our employees continually contribute to the provision and maintenance of a safe work environment and are empowered to act to protect the health and safety of themselves and their workmates.’’ Some of the services BCS provides include:
Some of Bernie Cornfoot and Sons Earthmoving’s impressive equipment. ➤ Site strip and clearing. ➤ Bulk earthworks and site retention construction. ➤ Road and car park pavement construction. ➤ Clay lining of water retention structure. ➤ Highway embankment and pavement construction. ➤ Dam construction. ➤ Irrigation infrastructure work. ➤ Levee constructions/ rehabilitations.
It’s on again
2OI5
Irrigation and Energy Expo showcasing industry innovation
ATTENTION EXHIBITORS LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXHIBIT
Shepparton Showgrounds – May 20 & 21, 2015
Showcase your business at the 2015 WTC Irrigation Expo The Water Technology Cluster Expo Committee would like to invite farmers, irrigators and Energy saving lovers to our WTC Irrigation & Energy Expo on Wednesday and Thursday the 20th and 21st of May. Come and explore what’s new and exciting on offer at this premium industry event. Expo will host the majority of irrigation suppliers, delivery partners and service providers together under one big roof at the Exhibition building, Shepparton Showgrounds. This is the perfect opportunity to meet industry leaders in innovation and product development who will be showcasing their
Contacts Sponsorship Wendy Buck Chair WTC Irrigation Expo wendy@wtcexpo.com.au
Exhibiting Andrew Chittick Expo Treasurer andrew.chittick@totaleden.com.au
Phone: 0438 052 630
Phone: 0400 671 172
Or visit our website www.wtcexpo.com.au.
MAJOR SPONSORS:
ountry News Co Reaching Australia ’s richest agricultural region
SPONSORS:
irrigation and energy saving methods and products. Farm planners and designers are on hand as well as GM-Water, GB CMA, and Farm Water representatives. Ample free parking on site with a 10 am start and 4pm finish, provides time to take advantage of what this unique irrigation and energy efficiency focused expo has to offer. Catch up with friends for a coffee or enjoy a break for lunch in the café style seating area. Entry to the WTC Expo is Free and we look forward to seeing you there.
PAGE 10—‘Water Talk’, May, 2015
water talk N O I T A G IRRI G N I V O Auction a ‘success’ M H T EAR N O I F T C n U e R twe T e S b n N i CO thing y r e v e ...and
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and uction constr ns l e n n a Ch atio on form uction irrigati constr e e v le ture d n astruc Dam a and infr s s e c c Farm a land works g and strippin n o ti Vegeta on ati prepar
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Bernie Cornfoot & Sons Earthmoving P/L
ederal Environment Minister Greg Hunt believes results from the first auction of his billiondollar climate change policy has hit critics ‘‘out of the park’’. But the Opposition remains unconvinced about a plan they label a ‘‘colossal waste’’ of taxpayer money. The Federal Government has purchased 47 million tonnes of abatement at the first auction of the emissions reduction fund, the vehicle it is using to meet Australia’s five per cent carbon emissions reduction target by 2020. It funded 144 projects run by 43 organisations at an average price of $13.95/tonne. Around a quarter of the fund’s budget — or $660 million — was snapped up, mainly by projects already operating under the defunct carbon farming initiative. Mr Hunt is heralding the auction a ‘‘stunning success’’ and proof Australia can meet its reduction targets. ‘‘The critics have been hit out of the park,’’ he told
ABC radio on Friday, claiming ‘‘everybody should be delighted’’. But Opposition environment spokesman Mark Butler is far from that. ‘‘Taxpayers are not getting very good value for money,’’ he said. Under Labor’s carbon tax, abandoned by the Coalition in mid-2014, big polluters paid $23/tonne of emissions to government. Direct action works the opposite way with the government paying polluters not to emit CO2. There are concerns over how quickly the $2.55 billion budget could be eroded and how many more taxpayer dollars might be needed. Mr Hunt argues his policy is long term and shows the world how to reduce emissions without punitive measures. Labor believes the policy cannot be effective without a nationwide discipline on carbon pollution that applies to the big polluters. Mr Butler says any reductions made through the fund will be offset by
increased emissions by Australia’s energy companies to compensate for the government’s attack on renewable energy. Safeguard mechanisms, that punish big polluters for exceeding historical emissions levels, will be introduced to direct action in 2016. The Climate Institute believes even with safeguards the policy can't achieve the ‘‘inadequate’’ five per cent target, let alone any post-2020 targets. Meanwhile, new research shows a much-discussed 10 to 15 year hiatus in global warming will only account for 0.1 C difference in temperature rises. That’s a small chunk of the five degrees expected by 2100 if nothing is done about carbon emissions. ‘‘It’s like a cold front that comes through during summer, it doesn’t end the summer,’’ Professor Matthew England from the Climate Change Research Centre said.
Bernie Cornfoot 0408 317 976 Dale Cornfoot 0433 505 645 email: dale@bcsearthmoving.com.au Gary Sharp 0425 703 007 email: groundsystems@gmail.com www.bcsearthmoving.com.au
Survey Design Irrigation
Increasing milk per megalitre Onleys on-farm irrigation check up > An Onleys’ consultant will visit you on farm, to discuss your
current irrigation system > A field assessment will be undertaken assessing the concerns to identify potential improvements > You will receive a detailed written report that identifies any issues, and offer efficient, economical solutions to increase your paddocks profitability.
Onleys also specialise in: > Whole Farm Plans > Project Management
> Subdivision > pH and Yield Mapping
“We are your complete irrigation design specialists” SHEPPARTON 5 Telford Drive, Shepparton Phone: (03) 5821 7171 Email: mail@onleys.com.au www.onleys.com.au SURVEY DESIGN IRRIGATION SURVEY DESIGN IRRIGATION SURVEY DESIGN IRRIG
Maintenance work will begin soon on Cattanach Canal bridges.
Bridge repairs
Goulburn-Murray Water will carry out
repairs to a number of road bridges across the Cattanach Canal during the irrigation off-season from May 15 to August 15. The crossings are the Snipey Rd, Bayles Rd, Murchison-Goulburn Weir Rd and Channel Inlet Rd bridges. G-MW senior reservoir controller Scott Wikman said the work was part of G-MW’s ongoing bridge maintenance program. ‘‘These bridges are more than 50 years old and designed and constructed to meet the standards at
that time,’’ Mr Wikman said. ‘‘These works are essential to ensure the integrity of the bridges so they remain safe and accessible in the long term.’’ The works on the bridges will include repair of minor damage to various concrete and steel bridge components. Mr Wikman said temporary detours or delays may occur for short periods of time while work was carried out on the bridges. ‘‘Work on these bridges also requires de-watering of the Cattanach Canal,’’ Mr Wikman said.
‘‘While G-MW does not guarantee water to stock and domestic customers during winter, out of courtesy we are alerting customers well in advance of the works starting to ensure they have time to fill tanks and dams before May 15.’’ Emergency services, councils and Goulburn Valley Water have been contacted and have advised the bridge works will not affect access and services. Work is expected to take up to six weeks and once finished, motorists are urged to observe the bridges’ load limits where advised.
‘Water Talk’, May, 2015—PAGE 11
water talk
SAVE Water
SAVE
Energy
SAVE E Moneyy
Come and see the latest in irrigation and energy at the WTC Expo in Shepparton this month.
All the latest at irrigation expo
he latest and greatest in Ton-farm innovation and
technology will be showcased this month at the sixth annual Water Technology Cluster Irrigation and Energy Expo.
Buck said the event had a strong attendance from participants in on-farm efficiency programs and Goulburn-Murray Water’s Connection program, and invited all to attend. State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed will open the expo at 11 am on Wednesday, May 20.
y lle Va ear an e Y 13. si la th 0 ra of 2 st er nd Au eal 12 a D 0 2
Farmers, irrigators and energy-saving enthusiasts alike are invited to attend the premium event, with industry leaders uniting under one big roof to deliver up-to-date information on irrigation, water saving and energy efficiency to the community. This is your chance to come and speak to farm planners and designers who will be on-hand at the expo’s location at the Shepparton Showgrounds’ exhibition building.
See how technology works first-hand with exhibitor demonstrations on site throughout the expo, or pull up a chair and listen to guest speaker, National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture professor Rod Smith, who will be speaking on both days. Mr Smith spent his early career in northern Victoria, where he was responsible for the installation of the Shepparton region groundwater pumps. His presentations at this year’s expo will centre around a study evaluating the irrigation performance of automated bay irrigation in the Goulburn-Murray irrigation district. WTC Expo chair Wendy
➤ The WTC Irrigation and Energy Expo will be from 10 am to 4 pm on Wednesday, May 20 and Thursday, May 21 at the Shepparton Showgrounds’ exhibition building, High St, Shepparton. Entry is free, plus there is catering and ample free parking available on-site. For more information, go to www.wtcexpo.com.au
Clear view of sales R
uralco Water has launched a new online auction system for permanent water entitlements. The company says it is a first of its kind for the Australian water market. Historically, sales of permanent entitlements have been handled ‘off market’ by water brokers who would negotiate with buyers and sellers to agree on a price. This would require the parties relying on the broker to pass on information such as what parcels were for sale, what offers were received, what prices were being offered by other buyers and what a specific permanent entitlement had actually sold for. However, this new online auction system makes this process completely
transparent and all parties can now see exactly what is going on. Ruralco general manager Phil Grahame said the new system offered buyers and sellers a number of advantages. ‘‘For sellers it exposes their entitlement to a large number of buyers and puts them in a competitive bidding situation, giving vendors the best chance of obtaining the highest possible price for their entitlement,’’ Mr Grahame said. ‘‘It also allows sellers to put a reserve price on their entitlement which gives them a safety net and control over the process. ‘‘For purchasers it offers transparency in that they can see what is happening in the market and exactly what prices are being paid. ‘‘It also offers buyers
certainty in that if they are the highest bidder above reserve at the close of the auction then they have bought the parcel.’’ This new system was launched by Ruralco Water in March and so far the response from customers has been overwhelming. One seller who has used the auction system is Lindsay McDonald from Murrabit, NSW. ‘‘It was simple and straightforward from start to finish,’’ Mr McDonald said. ‘‘The entire auction was completed online and visible to everyone. ‘‘We had a number of bidders competing on our entitlement that resulted in a sale price well above reserve.’’ ■ For more information, go to www.ruralcowater.com.au
See the difference that Valley Equipment can make to your farm enterprise. • Lowest total life costs on the market • Superior Integrity on all Running Gear • Longer Operating Life • 20 Year Warranty on Poly lined Spans Cobram Irrigation in conjunction with Valley now offer: • GPS Guidance via Trimble or John Deere Starfire • Telemetry Options by Valleys own Base Station 3 and AgSense Web Based Solutions
Full Automation at your finger tips. Total control of your operations, anywhere, anytime. Contact Cobram Irrigation
The Leader in Precision Irrigation
3705 Murray Valley Highway, Cobram.
www.cobramirrigation.com.au
( (03) 5871 1699
info@cobramirrigation.com.au
PAGE 12—‘Water Talk’, May, 2015
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Surface irrigation automation from the experts. FarmConnect® is the complete automation solution that lets you manage your irrigation online. Featuring Rubicon’s rugged hardware, FarmConnect gives you the precise control needed for high-flow irrigation, including BayDrive™ actuation for bay outlets and BladeValve™ pipe and riser valves that seal tight under high pressure, every time. So you can grow higher value crops with less effort. And because it’s from Rubicon you can rest assured we’ll be here to support your investment now and into the future. Call 03 5820 8800 or visit www.rubiconwater.com/farmconnect
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