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| Increased competition for water means the whole community is looking at how irrigators use water. Good irrigation not only has benefits for the wider community, but individual farms too. It means pastures grow better, provide more feed which is easier to manage, fewer breakdowns occur and systems are simpler to operate. |
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Farmer profiles
Five Canterbury dairy farmers and two industry professionals talk about irrigation on-farm and what they do to ensure water is used well. Click here to view their videos.
To irrigate well, you should:
- Apply the right amount of water at the right time to get maximum growth from your pasture
Put on too much water and it drains away below the pasture and leaches out expensive nutrients; leave it too late and the plants may stress, which reduces growth rates. - Maintain and manage the irrigation system to minimise wastage and leaks
There is little point in using expensive energy to pump water and then let it go to waste because of leaks in the system. Leaks can reduce the operating pressure so the system doesn’t apply water evenly, leading to patchy crops. Watering tracks and other non-productive areas wastes water. - Plan ahead for possible restrictions to water
If you depend on irrigation, decide on irrigation priorities (for example, crops vs pastures or good pastures vs poor pastures) and develop a plan to best minimise the impacts of water restrictions.
Anyone responsible for the overall irrigation system must understand and work within the conditions or rules set by the irrigation scheme or regional council, which govern the supply of water.
Guide to Good Irrigation resources
The DairyNZ Guide to Good Irrigation – parts 1 and 2 were developed to help dairy farmers fine-tune their irrigation and help with daily operation.
Part 1 is for farm staff and managers operating irrigation systems on a daily basis.
It deals with how soil and plant types, climate, various system capabilities, timing and volume of water application influence the farm’s irrigation needs.
Part 2 is about making those who manage irrigation aware of their responsibilities as irrigators.
This includes conditions of water supply, protecting water quality, efficient water use, teaching staff good irrigation practices and improving the system’s performance. The guide also covers soil moisture monitoring, upgrading an old system and considerations when designing and installing a new system.
The guides are relevant to any farmer involved in irrigation to help use water with greater efficiency and make day-to-day management simpler for staff.
To order a copy of the guides, click here.
