Unrestricted pumping in Carnarvon

Unrestricted pumping declared as Gascoyne flows into Carnarvon

Water Minister Dave Kelly announced unrestricted pumping from the Gascoyne River and Riverbed Sands aquifer in February.

The announcement came after the water started flowing at Nine Mile Bridge at around 8.30pm on 17 February. Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) measured the first flows of good water quality at 209mg/L TDS.

The flows were generated by 3 THIS is the fourth year growers have experienced substantial rain in the upper Gascoyne unrestricted pumping. catchment as a result of ex-Tropical Cyclone Damien. “It is good to see one of the State’s horticultural food bowls getting some good news in the form of extra irrigation water,” Minister Kelly said. “Unrestricted pumping provides not only the opportunity for irrigators to get some extra water, but it helps DWER manage the salinity of the aquifers that are used for high value horticulture by replenishing groundwater with new fresh flows. An earlier flow triggered by ex-Tropical Cyclone Blake, reached Nine Mile Bridge but did not provide sufficient water for unrestricted pumping. Unrestricted pumping was last declared in May 2019. It provides irrigators with access to water above their annual water entitlement from Subarea A, with no monthly limit. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Damien delivers significant flows to Carnarvon region. “This is the fourth year that Carnarvon aquifers have been recharged and growers have experienced unrestricted pumping.

“This is good news for growers and regional water security after a tough few years prior to this. It is also good for Perth as most of the fruit and vegetables grown in Carnarvon are sold within Western Australia.”

MORE INFORMATION

For more information go to:

www.dwer.wa.gov.au

DELTA water treatment keeps growers in business

BY MELISSA POULIOT RURAL JOURNALIST

ONE THING MANY Australian fruit and vegetable have in common is the need for high quality bore water. Another thing that many also have in common is that they’ve turned to 100% Australian water treatment company DELTAwater solutions to keep their businesses on track. North Queensland lime orchardist Phil Oliver says his family wouldn’t be farming without the DELTA, which they have installed on their 600-tree Tahitian lime orchard at Biboohra, north of Mareeba, as well as on their household water supply. “People call me and ask why I’ve got so many limes and I tell them we wouldn’t be here without the DELTA. I’ll never disconnect it, no way. Since we put our DELTA on we’ve consistently had four times the amount of produce.” Then there’s Helidon Lucerne grower Robert Hogan who relies heavily on his bore water. He installed a DELTA water treatment conditioner in 2015 and is now harvesting around 4000 extra bales every year. “The DELTA has made a hell of a difference here,” Robert says. “Over the whole farm we’ve gone from only doing 17–20 bales a paddock to around 40 bales. That equates to around 4000 extra bales a year due to the DELTA.” WA market gardener Ben Tran says the DELTA conditioner has resulted in higher, stronger plants with better yields at the Bullsbrook property he runs with his parents.

3 DIANNE Panov from DELTAwater solutions visits vegetable grower Glen Jurgens from Bowen who has installed a water treatment conditioner to eliminate salinity problems including leaf burn, salt buildup in soils and stunted growth caused by his bore water supply.

Ben, dad Tran and mum Ma watched their capsicum crop climb for the sky after installing a DELTA water treatment system on their bore irrigation supply. The yield climbed too. The family turned to DELTA technology to counteract the toll their groundwater, with its high levels of sodium and chloride, was taking on plant growth and yield on their 65-hectare property. “If you have a stronger plant, you can get a higher plant. DELTA added another 30 centimetres of growth to our plants and our capsicum yield was a lot more than before the DELTA,” Ben says. They also use DELTA-treated water on their strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants and watermelons. “DELTA’s technology has certainly worked for us, that’s for sure.”

3 PHIL and Lisa Oliver in their lime orchard, Phillisa Limes, which is thriving since installing a DELTA in 2009.

MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.deltawater.com.au or phone DELTAwater solutions on 1800 283 600.