There are several levels of design involved in modernising the entire irrigation network in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District. NVIRP, its contractors and partners have been involved in designing:
- a main network of channels to become the modernised backbone system
- farm connections to the modernised backbone system
- on-farm modernisation works
- construction works programs and
- environmental and planning solutions.
NVIRP's main design functions involve assessing how to connect irrigators to the modernised backbone system and what will work best for their farm, through the Connections Program, Farm Irrigation Assessments and Whole Farm Plans. These are described in more detail below.
Connections Program
Farms are connected to the Goulburn-Murray Water channel supply system via supply point connections. Through the Connections Program, irrigators are being encouraged to move supply points from secondary or spur channels to the main modernised backbone via a new connection, adopting the solution that best suits their farming operations.
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Farm Irrigation Assessments
An NVIRP Farm Designer will visit each landowner in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District at their property to discuss farm design and modernisation options. An average of four days is spent talking to the landowner and developing tailored solutions for their property. Contractors have been sourced from all over Victoria and New South Wales to conduct farm assessments with approximately 14 000 landowners up to 2013, to help ensure that all potential improvement opportunities are identified.
Farm Irrigation Assessments help determine whether there are any water supply issues through consultation with the landowner, an analysis of historic flow rates, on-farm survey, Whole Farm Plan analysis or review and completion of a detailed farm design based on operational and water supply needs. Assessments are conducted through NVIRP's Connections Program.
Whole Farm Plans
NVIRP is part of a consortium of water organisations across the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District that secured funding of $25.8 million through the Commonwealth Government's $300 million On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. NVRIP is also contributing $16 million to projects that missed out on funding due to over-subscription of the program.
NVIRP's additional investment will save up 8 700 megalitres of water a year with half the savings going to farmers and the other half contributing to NVIRP's total savings.
For more information on the program please click here