A well maintained irrigation system is an essential part of being an efficient, productive irrigator.
Your irrigation systems are the most important fixtures on your property. To be able to supply water to all your crops in the right amounts at the right times, you must have a vital interest in the performance of your irrigation systems. For this reason it is important to carry out regular maintenance.
Once you know your systems are operating correctly you can conduct tests to evaluate the performance and install moisture monitoring equipment and Testwells to improve your irrigation management.
It is important to check the performance of both old and new irrigation systems. Old systems need checking because their efficiency decreases as they age and wear. New systems (or near new) need checking to ensure they are performing as designed. A pre-season maintenance schedule should be completed at the start of each irrigation season and should involve a check of:
- sprinkler parts;
- sprinkler operating pressures;
- sprinkler output; and
- sprinkler distribution uniformity.
The Improving Irrigation Efficiency Project is offering FREE system evaluations to irrigators who have undertaken an irrigation management, or specialised course offered by the Project.
One of the Project's field officers will assist you in the evaluation of one or two valves on your property to demonstrate how the evaluation is done. You will receive a systems evaluation booklet and information on equipment needed for you to complete your own evaluations.
Prior to the field officer visiting it is important to ensure your pump is working correctly, all sprinklers are upright, there are no blockages in your system, and all lateral and submains are flushed.
Please contact your Irrigation Field Officer to book a time or for more information.
Case Studies
Click on the links below to download the Irrigation Case Studies:
Improving Irrigation Management - Soil Moisture (80kb)
Incorporating rainfall into Irrigation Regime (72kb)
Importance of Good Distribution Uniformity (91kb)