Dr Malcolm Gillies and Professor Joseph Foley from the University of Southern Qld talk about irrigation performance and how SISCOweb can be used to optimised surface irrigation.
Optimised surface irrigation can occur where-ever an understanding of irrigation inflow rates into furrows or bays can be measured, and the corresponding irrigation water advance times down the field can be captured during the irrigation event.
The SISCOweb processes available today determine the infiltration curve for the field during the irrigation event, and then optimise for the best time to cut-off the irrigation water supply into the field. This can be delivered as a scheduled closure time on an automation gate, or via an SMS to growers managing the irrigation.
Optimising individual irrigation events will help growers apply the right amount of water and help improve irrigation water use efficiency.
The SIP2 Podcast
Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase II (SIP2)
Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase II is a partnership between cotton, dairy, sugar, rice and grains, research organisations and farmer groups. SIP2 builds on Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase 1 which enabled research in areas of irrigation system audits, irrigation scheduling, new technology, system design and water use efficiency. Phase 1 demonstrated that improved water productivity hinged on ‘Getting the Basics Right’. It found that participating Australian irrigators could achieve a 10-20 percent improvement in farm profitability by adopting best practice and precision irrigation technologies.
An essential part of Smarter Irrigation for Profit is the commercial optimised irrigation sites. These sites provide an opportunity for researchers, consultants, producers and industry support staff to share knowledge, see how irrigation technology can be applied and collaborate across industries through field walks and field days.
Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase II has 14 sub-projects looking at:
- New and innovative irrigation technologies,
- Cost effective, practical automated irrigation systems and
- The application of best practice irrigation techniques.
The objective of SIP2 is to improve the profit of over 4000 cotton, dairy, rice, grains and sugar irrigators.
SIP2 is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as part of it's Rural R&D for Profit program.