Transcript Infrastructure Template

Water savings in the Goulburn Murray
Irrigation District
The journey from 2000 to 2012
Stephen Harding and Ian Moorhouse
Irrigation Australia Conference, Adelaide June 2012
Overview
> The water savings study in 2000
> What happened next?
> Where are we now?
> Lessons learned
The Goulburn Murray Irrigation District
Study objectives
> Reduce water losses by at least 50 GL
> Determine the volume of savings
> Quantify the initial and continuing costs
> Identify priorities for water saving measures
> Identify processes for verifying and quantifying
water savings
System performance pre- Modernisation
Water Within
the District
Goulburn component
of GMID
Murray component of
GMID
Total Goulburn-Murray
Irrigation District
Average
Inflows
Reduced
Inflows
Average
Inflows
Reduced
Inflows
Average
Inflows
Reduced
Inflows
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
Actual Diversions
at river offtakes
1780
1350
1110
985
2890
2335
On-Farm Metered
Allocations to
Irrigators
1305
932
715
623
2020
1555
Losses due to
System
Inefficiency
475
418
395
362
870
780
Total System
Efficiency
69%
63%
67%
System losses
Ref: DSE, 2008
Key recommendations
1. Improve metering accuracy
2. Consistent framework for calculating efficiency
3. Confirm findings with further detailed studies
4. Resolve policy issues eg. savings from better
measurement
5. Develop water conservation plans across the GMID
6. Address issues created by reduced outfalls
7. Adopt a strategic approach to modernisation investment
What happened next?
> “Millenium” drought
> Foodbowl modernisation initiative
> NVIRP project
10 Years of Drought
> Driest 10 yrs on
record
> Involves adjusting
climate model
results to a local
scale
> Usually involves
use of local-scale
historical data to
‘calibrate’ and
‘validate’ the model
10 Year Rainfall Deficiencies
1 Jan 1997 – 31 Dec 2006
Challenges with existing distribution network
> Extensive spur channel supply system
o Long notice required for water orders
o Variable flow rates and channel height
o Low flow rates
o Manually operated Dethridge wheel outlets
o High water losses
o Risks of high costs to maintain into the future
o Difficult to achieve the size of property required to
generate economies of scale
Foodbowl modernisation initiative
Benefits of modernisation
> Remove most of the small local channels allowing properties
to be amalgamated and supply systems rationalised, with
improved paddock access when G-MW channels are removed
> Provide a far higher level of service at the farm gate with
o Water available close to on-demand
o Higher and more consistent flow rates
o Modern, customer operated and controlled automated
outlets that can be integrated with on-farm systems
o Improved 24/7 monitoring and response
o Best practice water delivery efficiency
Modernisation framework
Ref: DSE, 2008
Channel automation
Metering upgrades
Channel lining
NVIRP progress
Targeted investment approach
Lessons Learned
1. Clear vision and objectives – what are we trying to achieve?
2. Early stakeholders involvement and engagement
3. Good quality data is essential
4. Holistic approach that includes the supply system and on-farm
system
5. A sustainability based, strategic approach to investment
decisions
6. Real gains are possible both off- and on-farm
Summary
 Biggest modernisation program in the world
 Fundamental change in thinking
 Far reaching consequences for irrigators,
communities and the environment
 Significant benefits still to be realised on-farm