Making irrigation water go further
As new technology improves the way dairy farmers irrigate, the demand on water resources nationally and regionally also continues to grow, making water efficient practices more relevant than ever.
The South Island contains around 80 percent of the total irrigated land in New Zealand, with Canterbury and North Otago making up the majority of that area.
In the videos below, Canterbury dairy farmers and industry professionals talk about irrigation on-farm and what they do to ensure water is used efficiently.
Irrigation Efficiency Videos
Soil water balance template
Can you prove you are applying the right amount of water at the right time? The soil water balance template will aid you with irrigation scheduling decisions and assist in providing auditable evidence that you are making informed decisions of when to irrigate and how much to apply.
Guide to Good Irrigation
The DairyNZ Guide to Good Irrigation was 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.
Order or download these guides below.
Calculating your application depth and uniformity
The Irrigation Depth Testing Calculator enables farmers who undertake the 'bucket test' from the DIY Irrigation Evaluation Guide to enter their data and have the average application depth, application rate, and distribution uniformity calculated for them.
The calculator will generate a graph showing the application depth across the length of the pivot. There are two tabs on the calculator for testing of different sized irrigator, the first allows for 40 buckets and a larger version for up to 80 buckets for large pivots or greater detail. Download the calculator here.
