In this, the final year of the seven-year collaboration between participant organisations, it is most instructive to reflect upon the initial intent, the endeavour applied and results delivered under the contract signed in 2003 between participants and the Commonwealth Government.

At that time, we declared our mission to “facilitate cooperative research and training networks and programs which continuously improve irrigation policy, tools, practices and processes to:
• Double irrigation water use productivity;
• Improve profitability for commercial irrigation enterprises; and
• Protect and enhance landscapes and the environment."

Now, in 2010, it is very clear that such a mission and vision was well formulated and that our underlying Research, Development, Education and Extension activities broadly addressed and attained the defined targets. In fact, the ongoing need for such initiatives is well evidenced.

During the term of the CRC for Irrigation Futures we have seen increasingly severe pressures on natural resources, particularly arising from ongoing severe drought and increased social and economic pressures relating to access and allocation of scarce water supplies. The CRC IF has made significant progress in delivering human capacity, technical knowledge and tools, integrating processes and support for adaptive policy and practice and specialist professional development programs to address these critical issues.

The framework of the CRC IF valued and facilitated collaborative effort which brought together a diverse range of discipline skills and experience from its participant organisations. This enabled considerable interchange of experience, broadened opportunity and generated novel techniques for researchers and industry participants to address complex technical, economic and social issues at the interface of irrigation practice, water resource constraints and environmental policy. Several of the projects undertaken applied such trans-disciplinary effort to issues not normally responsive to more narrowly based investigations, especially where industry action was dependent on the effective integration of knowledge and approaches from several diverse disciplines.

Given the highly dispersed and relatively small R&D groupings of irrigation expertise, the CRC IF also provided considerable opportunity to develop many much-needed postgraduates within a collaborative framework, fitting its largely PhD graduates for working in trans-disciplinary teams likely to be demanded in the future. Despite setting a very ambitious target and enrolling some 63 post-graduate students, with a likely graduation of 51 by the end of 2010, many already well placed within irrigation and related industries, there remains a significant deficit in the supply of graduates able to meet the needs of the irrigation dependent sector.

The CRC IF’s professional development program, including the graduate training model, MasterClasses and other training programs have gone some way to establishing a successful model from which to take further action. Nevertheless, the conclusion of the term of the CRC IF leaves a very considerable gap in Australia’s capacity to recruit and develop human capacity in irrigation and water management. This is especially so where capacity is required to integrate diverse disciplines and knowledge within a regional or sectoral context.

Future initiatives to meet the critical needs of the nationally significant irrigation dependent sectors – production, amenity and recreation - and the environment and water resources upon which they depend, should be well informed by the knowledge and reports, training, and experience of participant personnel, including its graduates and staff, of this CRC.

I thank member organisations of the CRC IF and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) for their support via cash and in-kind contribution, personnel and facilities over the course of the CRC IF.

Finally, I thank and congratulate the many individuals delivering the impressive RD&E of the CRC IF, its executive management for the leadership and motivation applied to delivering against the objectives of the program and my fellow board members for their experience and commitment to the ideals and effective governance of this initiative.

Peter Hayes
Board Chair 2003-2010

It is with some reluctance that I come to write my final piece for INFLO. I hope you too feel a little sad about the end of an era. Sound a bit too grandious perhaps that 'end of an era' phrase? Well just reflect for a moment that over the last seven years we have been responsible for:

1. Injection of over $20m in cash into the Irrigation R&D sector that simply would not have happened otherwise;
2. Delivering nearly 50 new post-graduates to the water sector (many of whom are already working in a wide variety of roles, not just research);
3. Development of new science to support major improvements in surface irrigation efficiency (still the main form of irrigation in this country and internationally);
4. Development of new and better ways of integrating research outcomes into regional irrigation communities to help them deal with uncertain futures (and nothing has changed there).

Then add in the fact that there is nothing around the corner to replace the cash and coordination that CRC IF has provided and I feel 'end of an era' is an appropriate phrase.

Our researchers are either in the final stages of writing up their research or they have already moved onto other work. Most were seconded to us by their employers and so remain in research roles of some form. The Executive Management Group has shrunk to Bill Williamson, Keith Bristow, Kelvin Montagu and I for the final phase finishing on September 30th. We are still focussed on delvering the best value to the core participants, industry and government, even in the remaining short time.

For me it has been challenging, but often fun, so I thank the Governing Board for the opportunity to lead one of the most interesting groups I have met in my professional career. Thanks everyone and hope to see you around.

Regards
Ian Atkinson
Chief Executive Officer
CRC for Irrigation Futures

Over the last four years more than 2,000 people have subscribed to INFLO. We would like to thank you for your interest in the publications, events and activities of the CRC for Irrigation Futures.

While this is our last edition of INFLO, a number of our publications will continue to be finalised over the next couple of months. In addition the CRC IF has put in place arrangements with Irrigation Australia to continue the MasterClass series and CP&LM training.

To keep you informed of these and other irrigation developments we have arranged for our subscribers to be transferred over to IAL's eNewsletter Backwash. If you do not wish to receive IAL’s eNewsletter please unsubscribe.

After years of hard work, Reinventing Irrigation Catchments - The System Harmonisation Story, by Keith L. Bristow and Tim Stubbs, is available.

The CRC for Irrigation Futures’ System Harmonisation program has involved considerable technical analysis and detailed modelling by a range of researchers and stakeholders. However more than any other program of the CRC it has involved people. People trying to work together and resolve long standing differences, people trying to challenge the status quo and change the way things are done.

At a local level this work has had varied levels of impact. However whatever the level of impact the key thing is that people have tried something different, have tried to forge a way forward and from this trying always comes learning.

There will be many technical reports that come out of the System Harmonisation program which will contain valuable information but they will not tell the stories of people and their experiences. This book attempts to capture those stories, their ups and downs, and most importantly the learning that has come from the experience. The stories have come directly from the people involved; they are real, honest and sometimes confronting.

From the stories it would be easy to find fault with the System Harmonisation program and even the ideals and goals that lead to its development and ultimate implementation. This though would be a very short-sighted response. The System Harmonisation program has taken the first step out of a comfort zone that was leading to the degradation of our environment, irrigation industries and communities.

The first step is always the hardest; it will have the most ups and downs, successes and disappointments. However once that first step has been taken, the second is always easier and then the third easier again. The CRC IF has risked much by taking this first step but by taking risk much has been gained. It is now up to others to learn from this first step and then take the second and then the third, the fourth, the.......

The audience for this book is anybody interested in taking on this learning and playing a part in the next step. Whether you are reading it to better understand how to take the next step, or to inform research, or simply out of interest, hopefully you will take something out of the stories and experiences of those that have been ­involved so far. The writing style has intentionally been relatively informal and accessible in an attempt to appeal to many.

Click on the contact below to order a copy of Reinventing Irrigation Catchments.

CRC for Irrigation Futures Technical Report series No. 02/10, An Exploratory Study of Irrigators’ Decision-Making: Day-to-Day Scheduling Decisions, by Kerri Whittenbury and Penny Davidson is now available online.

Executive Summary
This report contains the findings from a study which examined the decision making processes associated with irrigation scheduling for growers in the Murrumbidgee irrigation district. The project contributes to a broader development of tools and technology designed to achieve efficiencies in irrigation water, and is sponsored by the CRC for Irrigation Futures, Tools for Irrigation Profitability and Longevity.

Water management remains a critical issue in Australia, even more so for agricultural producers that depend upon irrigation water for successful crops. The approach to water management is multi-pronged, ranging from greater use of market instruments, to policy and technological improvements in irrigation systems. While agricultural water use has decreased dramatically (ABS, 2009) there are still irrigators choosing to use inefficient irrigation systems and schedules. In the face of the challenge of developing more relevant technologies for irrigators and better supporting their needs, this project adopted an ethnographic case study approach, interviewing 30 irrigators and 10 key informants in the field about the process of day-to-day irrigation scheduling. While the findings predominantly reinforce existing knowledge about farmer decision-making and adoption, they particularly reinforce the priority given to experience, the need to validate any new set of data, and the fact that farming goals tend to be a balance between economic survival and lifestyle.

In addition, it became obvious that despite the research purpose of gathering information vital to saving water, saving water was not one of the decision factors of concern to the irrigators in the study.

Download the full report at the link below.

More information...

Well One Water Many Futures was a great way for the CRC IF to mark the end of its seven years. More than 500 people attended the conference, 125 at the workshops, 55 on the tours, 883 attended either the welcome function, conference dinner, early careers reception or the Water Leaders dinner, and 2,760 attended the exhibition (click on the 'more information' link below to see a collage of the key moments).

The CRC IF featured strongly on the conference program. Plenary presentations were given by CRC IF program leader Dr Keith Bristow, “System Harmonisation - Irrigation within a Catchment Context” and Board Chair, Peter Hayes, “National Research & Development – why collaborate?”. CRC IF members presented a further 34 oral papers during the concurrent sessions and 23 posters.

The conference ended with a Q&A session hosted by CRC IF Board member and award winning journalist, Ticky Fullerton. The panel included Dr Richard Stirzaker, CRC IF project leader; Geoffery Kavanagh, CRC IF Board member; Dr Sandra Postel, Director of the Global Water Policy Project and National Geographic Society’s first Freshwater Fellow; Murray Smith, CEO North Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project; Senator Bill Heffernan and Mary Harwood, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

The CRC IF also hosted two key social events during the conference. The CRC IF postgraduate student Mark O’ Connell hosted an early career evening. The evening provided a networking opportunity for our postgraduate students and other early career professionals and undergraduates students attending the conference.
Irrigation Australia and the CRC IF co-hosted a water leaders dinner held at New South Wales Parliament House. The dinner attracted more than 80 leaders from the private and public sector. Dinner speakers included the Hon. Phillip Costa, NSW Minister for Water and Professor Kader Asmal, South African Minister for Water in Mandela’s first government.

More than 2,700 people attended the Exhibition over the three days. The CRC IF was represented by two stands. A combined CRC IF and Irrigation Australia Limited stand provided a high profile distribution point for our reports, brochures and books. The CRC IF’s Professional Irrigation Services Network stand displayed new tools and services for which distributing and manufacturing partnerships are available or for which a consultant network to deliver the services is being developed.

Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank not only everyone who attended and was involved in the conference but also those who have supported the CRC IF during its seven years. I hope to see you when I return in 2011.

Au revoir
Kelvin Montagu
Knowledge Manager
CRC for Irrigation Futures

More information...

The CRC for Irrigation Futures is running a pilot Urban Irrigation MasterClass on how we manage water use in public open space to achieve maximum value for our communities.

Researchers and practictioners will present the latest thinking on measuring, estimating and managing the requirements of plant water use on sporting fields, parks and gardens.

CRC IF is inviting an audience to be involved and to give feedback on the relevance of the material. Once the pilot masterclass has been completed, it is anticipated that Irrigation Australia will run the MasterClass.

If you are interested in the limited places available for this pilot MasterClass on from 28-29 September in Sydney please register your interest with Deb Atkins.

CRC for Irrigation Futures Irrigation Matters Series No. 01/10, A Review of Salinity and Sodicity in Irrigation, by Younes D. Ezlit, Rod J. Smith and Steven R. Raine is now available online.

Executive Summary
Scarcity of fresh water has led to use of low quality waters (high sodicity and salinity) that were considered unsuitable for irrigation in the past. Mismanagement of irrigation using this water can increase the potential for soil degradation and limit crop production in the long-term. Irrigation using highly saline-sodic water requires appropriate management to avoid long-term development of sodicity and salinity problems. The main factors that control the sodicity and salinity problems are maintenance of sufficient leaching and avoidance of soil structure degradation due to sodicity. However, the management options are determined by complex factors such as soil type and condition, water quality, irrigation practice and crop type. The fundamental processes occurring within soil profile under irrigation with highly saline sodic waters, and the problems related to salinity and sodicity in the soil-water-plant system are complex. Modelling is an efficient tool to quantify and mange these problems. However, there has been limited research in modelling of irrigation under highly sodic and saline conditions.

This paper is part of the doctoral research project titled ‘Modelling the Change in Conductivity of Soil Associated with the Application of Saline –Sodic Water’. A complete copy of the thesis can be obtained from www.irrigationfutures.org.au.

Download the full report at the link below.

More information...

This month's feature paper, entitiled A comparative analysis of water application and energy consumption at the irrigated field level comes from Tamara Jackson, Shabaz Khan and Moshin Hafeez. It was published in Agricultural Water Management in 2010. Contact Tamara for a copy of the article.

Abstract
Most government policies and community perception of the irrigation sector promotes the conversion from gravity-fed to pressurised irrigation methods as a way of reducing water consumption by the irrigation sector. However, optimising for one aspect of a system can have unintended resource and environmental consequences e.g. an increase in energy consumption patterns of irrigated crops.

Two Australian irrigation areas were studied: a surface-water supplied region in New South Wales; and a groundwater dependent region in South Australia. The water and energy budgets for crop production from land preparation to harvest were quantified on several farms.

Converting from flood to pressurised systems resulted in a reduction in water application of between 10% and 66%. However, in the surface-water supplied region, it also resulted in energy consumption being increased by up to 163%. In the groundwater dependent region, energy consumption was reduced by 12% to 44%. There is potential to reduce energy consumption due to increased water use efficiency, resulting in less water being pumped due to efficiency gains.

Therefore, to optimise energy and water use, it is recommended that pressurised irrigation systems be used in areas requiring pressurised extraction of groundwater, while efficient gravity based irrigation methods, coupled with good management practices, be promoted in surface-water supplied areas.

Jackson, T.M, Khan, S. and Hafeez, M. 2010. A comparative analysis of water application and energy consumption at the irrigated field level. Agricultural Water Manangement 97; 1477-1485.

The CRC for Irrigation Futures may have come to an end, but our publications are still available online. So visit the website to find out what we’ve been up to over the last seven years. Otherwise, for a quick overview, check out our latest brochures below.

Our Publications
Our Research - Tools and Software
Our MasterClasses
Our Students
Our Research - System Harmonisation
Improving the Biodiversity of Farm Dams – Case Studies
Improving the Biodiversity of Farm Dams – Principles