Catchment, Irrigation, River and Groundwater Management Cycles

Key Intervention Points for Sustainability of Irrigation Systems are shown with Numbers in circle. The intervention points are set out below:

1. Volume and regime of water extraction from river, water rights definition, trading and regulation of use of water rights, improved distribution and control of water delivery to farm.

2. Volume and regime of water extraction from groundwater, extraction must be matched by catchment and river recharge, improved delivery to farm.

3. Volume and regime of subsurface drainage, improved management to reduce leaching and drainage to groundwater, reduction of salt load to groundwater through soil storage, improved interception of subsurface drainage water and re-use through bio-concentration and extraction, salt management schemes for subsurface drainage and groundwater.

4. Reduce water extraction need through greater water use efficiency on farm.

5. Improved management of surface water drainage, improved re-use, reduction of contaminant.

6. Land use management to control water yield and amount of salt and pollutant to rivers and groundwater.

John Williams: CRC Irrigation Futures