NZ Dairy Winter 2021

106 | nz dairy IRRIGATION NZ » Smart Irrigation / Water Capture & Storage ‘Bucket test’ shows uniformity of distribution River allocation in some areas are at capacity at peak use times, when flow is low and river and stream ecology is detrimentally affected. • from page 104 Investment in water Kelly Deeks W ith the increased rain we are seeing through winter, the storms and floods across the country, you would think we would not have a water problem. “But we do, either too much or not enough at the right moment, and the more the climate changes, the more likely we are to see these shifts and extremes,” says Irrigation New Zealand chief execu- tive Vanessa Winning. “The best way to mitigate this is to invest in capture and storage options in the areas of most need.” The East Coast of New Zealand is crying out for water in the summer, at the same time of the year fruit and vegetables are soaking up what they can. In places like the Hawke’s Bay there is not enough water to ensure sufficient drinking water, stock water, and water for the viticulture sector. River allocations in some places are at capacity when it comes to these peak use times, when flow is low and ecology is detrimentally impacted, which can lead to pollution. “It is not rocket science, and it’s something we all want to improve,” Vanessa says. “I often hear that 90%, or some other high number, is washed out to sea and not used, so we have plenty of water. That number may be right, but what it does not count is how important that flushing of water is for the land and waterways as it goes through its natu- ral process for the bugs, fish, and creatures that rely on that water and for the water to be useable • to page 108 “This investment needs to include capture and storage of water for multipurpose use – drinking water, renewable energy creation, and productive use. In most countries overseas, this investment is government driven rather than user driven, and a national approach is needed to ensure we rectify the past mistakes and make strategic decisions for the whole community.” In ll Irrigation IRRIGATE WITH CONFIDENCE · IRRIGATION SYSTEMS · REMOTE MANAGEMENT · PRECISION VRI If it’s not designed, installed, and operated by suitably qualified and accredited practitioners to best available practice standards you risk not gaining the most from the water, energy labour and money committed to it. Having intimate knowledge of the way your system operates gives you the confidence to make good decisions on water use, minimising volumes extracted and improving plant growth. Of all the aspects that can affect your system precision, uni- formity of application is one of the most significant and its relatively easy to have tested. The Bucket Test app that incorporates a simple process of capturing water underneath your ir- rigation system gives you a very quick indication of the uniformity of distribution. If the distribution patterns across the system is poor you are likely overwatering some parts of the soil profile, with a risk of leaching nutrients, and underwatering others leading to low growth areas. There is plenty of clever technology appear- ing in the market that can measure and monitor many parts of your irrigation processes, including your water take volumes, power consumption, soil moisture levels and services that look at weather patterns in your district, but be prepared to adjust your thinking. What you may have been confident of through intuition may not be quite as you thought especially as you gain an understanding of the data and analy- sis relating to soil moisture through the root profile. Give technology time! You will need to understand how it reacts to different situations for you to build trust in what it is indicating to you; you’ll see it as another tool you can use to optimise your business of farming and growing. Train yourself and your staff, attend courses, get some qualifications under your belt and look to gather knowledge from the experts available to you. And then share your experiences so others can see the benefit of that process to their own situation but always be aware that each operation is unique to location, the soils and weather patterns and how each operator wants to farm the land. IrrigationNZ is a national membership organisa- tion that looks after the interests of irrigating farm- ers, growers and the industry professionals that service them. We actively engage with our members and other stakeholders in the delivery of irrigation best practice and helping shape policy. We facilitate the adoption of best practice in irrigation and water management through a world-class resource base of knowledge and effective communication. Stephen McNally is the Principal Technical Advisor at Irrigation NZ and can be contacted at smcnally@irrigationnz.co.nz or 027 687 5299. Needing Water Storage for your Crops and Livestock? Flexi Tanks NZ o ers a range of Water storage bladders that can store from 1000 litres to 2 million litres. Ideal for Horticulture, Closed storage, no external contamination, no pests and low maintenance Best value bladder on the market Safe - tank is fully enclosed 10 Year manufacturers warranty Up to 20 year life expectancy Consistent water quality Made by Labaronne, the French inventor of Flexible storage 60 years ago Minimal ground works required and rapid installation No security fencing required Andre Meier E: P: 027 7063 633 W: SERIOUSWATER STORAGE! for ongoing irrigation of land, fruit, and vegetables too.” She says New Zealand has seen a significant under investment in infrastructure for the past 40 years, and we are now playing catch up with a $183 billion estimate to fix the water infrastructure in most of our towns and cities.