3 Project Objectives for 1998/99
3.1 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
The primary objective of the project was to test the Irrigation Best Management Guidelines developed in the 1996/97 year and partially tested in the 1997/98 year to find out if the Guidelines were workable, sensible, and could be used to improve the sustainability of irrigation water use on farms.
Within the original objective, the specific intention was to find out if the data required to calculate the performance indicators could be measured at reasonable cost, if the proposed data collection methods were acceptable, and whether the information could be used to improve performance. The longer-term goal is to have irrigation farmers adopt and use the Best Management Guidelines on a national scale.
As with the previous study, the intention was to concentrate on the implementation process rather than the details of specific recommendations given in the Guidelines.
3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF 1998/99 PROJECT
The following specific objectives were set.
- To operate the programme for a full irrigation season.
- To ensure that soil moisture measuring equipment and flow measuring was available and installed on the study properties.
- To ensure that the equipment could be used by farmers
- To provide farmers with suitable worksheets that they could use to record information and make decisions.
- To review the programme with respect to the overall objective.
3.3 PROJECT FARMS
- Andrew Mulholland of Bankside, a dairy farmer using border strip irrigation;
- Bruce Rolls, of Te Pirita, a dairy farmer using spray irrigation (centre-pivot);
- Jos Van de Klundert of Darfield, a cropping farmer using spray irrigation (rotating boom).
Because of the interest shown by the farmers involved in the project in the 1997/98 season and the fact that the farmers were familiar with the project, the same three farms were selected for continuation of the project. They were;
The location of each of the properties is shown on the next page in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Location of Farms Selected for Testing the Guidelines
3.4 PROPOSED WORK PROGRAM
The following work program was proposed.
- install remaining measuring equipment;
- discuss irrigation season plan with farmers;
- monitor farmer data collection and analysis;
- provide on-going liaison and refinement of system;
- calculate end of season indicators, and
- summarise findings and report.
Because irrigation generally starts in Canterbury in October or November, the project was planned to start in October 1998. It was expected to run until the end of April 1999.
For the 1998/99 project, some of the equipment was already installed or on-hand ready for installation in September 1998 for an October 1998 start.
Already installed included Aquaflex™ soil moisture measuring equipment in Paddock 1 on the spray irrigated dairy farm, and Aquaflex™ soil moisture measuring equipment in Paddocks K and L on the border-strip irrigated farm.
Also available was a water level recorder for the border-strip farm that had been used briefly in the previous year.
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