Shallow storage irrigation for sorghum production in north-west Queensland

The Mitchell grass plains of North West Queensland are used almost exclusively for extensive grazing by sheep and cattle. However, the nutritive value of pastures is frequently poor and thus strategic use of grain and forage supplements to boost wool and beef production has been considered by many graziers in the region. Therefore, opportunities for crop production in this tropical, semi-arid area need to be evaluated. The gently undulating topography and fertile, cracking clay soils of the Mitchell grass plains are well suited to agriculture but rainfall, which is highly variable and strongly seasonal (summer dominant), is only sufficient for dry and forage cropping in about twenty percent of years. The region's mean annual rainfall is 400 mm. The land system is also well suited to storage of ephemeral run-off in shallow but expansive farm dams, and use of such dams for irrigation of crops is termed 'shallow storage Irrigation'. Distinctive features of shallow storage irrigation are: rapid use of water for irrigation before evaporation losses become too great, and agricultural use of the bed of the dam. This latter feature is termed 'ponded-area' cropping and is practised by planting successive strips of crop around the edges of the dam as irrigation and evaporation cause the dam's water line to recede. This study evaluates the biophysical and economic potential of irrigated grain sorghum and ponded-area forage sorghum production from shallow storage irrigation systems on the Mitchell grass plains of north west Queensland

Customised spatial climate forecasts to improve land and water management

Use of seasonal forecasts to improve management of land and water for agriculture and the general community is sometimes limited by lack of historical data for the user's location. Customised forecasts for multiple locations may be used to examine spatial coherence of ENSO effects on streamflow in order to make maximum use of information in a region. This paper examines the implications for availability of water for irrigated cotton production by analysing historical records from five stream gauging stations in the Condamine-Balonne Basin of southern Queensland. This basin constitutes one quarter of the Murray-Darling Basin. The overall methods were: to examine the forecasting skill available for streamflow gauging stations relevant to the irrigated cotton industry in the region; to use customised spatial seasonal forecasts in order to examine the coherence of the climatic effects in the region, and thus to make the best possible assessment of the coming season; to draw some conclusions about likely water availability from the analyses; and to examine some implications at farm level. In practice these implications will be tempered by water allocations and licence conditions. Customised geospatial forecasts of streamflow on any scale chosen by the user can improve land and water management by providing advance warning of likely water availability, particularly during periods when the SOI is in a negative phase by early winter. Forecasts using persistence of streamflow provided useful additional skill in summer. Spatial coherence was a useful concept that improved confidence in the reliability of the forecasts. Further development of the AUSTRALIAN RAINMAN computer package will provide a convenient tool to carry out such analyses. Forecasts of streamflow can assist decision making in the irrigated cotton industry. This work could be extended to other industries and regions

Seasonal streamflow forecasts to improve management of water resources: 5. Major issues and future directions in Australia

The paper reports on major issues encountered in two related projects aimed at improved management of water resources through use of seasonal forecasting of streamflow, and discusses future directions to improve water resource management in Australia. The national Rainman Streamflow Project set out to aid water management in Australia by: (1) working with primary producers and water agencies to assess the value of streamflow/runoff forecasts, (2) developing methods to forecast streamflows and runoff, (3) assembling a national streamflow and runoff data set for use in the AUSTRALIAN RAINMAN computer software package, and (4) building a communications program to facilitate adoption of improved practices. Further information about these tasks may be found in the associated papers at this conference. A related Murray Darling Basin Project examined in detail the economic benefits of using seasonal forecasting of streamflow for irrigated cotton production in the impacted Border Rivers catchment of Queensland / New South Wales. The Streamflow Project showed that empowering people to analyse streamflow and runoff data using AUSTRALIAN RAINMAN was an effective way to improve their water management. However, long-term reliable records of streamflow with local relevance were needed for seasonal forecasting. Data shortages could be largely overcome by use of models to extend short records and to separate out climatic effects from human impacts, provided the modelling results were made available by water agencies. Forecasting often involved integrating information about rainfall, streamflow and climate. There was considerable dependency at present on workshops to raise awareness, provide a basic background in climatology, and build self-reliance with computer software. There were major synergies when irrigators, water agencies and scientists worked together, for example in documenting potential financial benefits. Seasonal climate forecasting has a lot to offer water users (including irrigators, water agencies, environmentalists and government). This paper considers that the main issues of seasonal climate forecasting to improve management of water resources are: obtaining locally relevant data including modelled data from impacted catchments; extending records to the limit of rainfall by modelling; implementing and improving new forecasting tools; integrating forecasts with local rules to assess water allocation; forecasting of overland flows; assessing the value of forecasting (economic, environmental, managerial [demand/supply], water trading); balancing needs of different water use groups where there is potential conflict; transparency of forecast methods; and communication and education about these issues. An holistic approach to land and water issues involving climate variability is essential for future progress

Theoretical framework for applied climate education: 2. Training development and delivery for building knowledge and skills to apply seasonal climate forecasts in agriculture

Workshops were held in Australia, India, Indonesia and Zimbabwe between January 1999 to September 2002 to enhance understanding of climate variability, ENSO and seasonal forecasts, particularly as they impact on agriculture systems in these countries. These workshops were delivered to a range of participants including agriculture department staff, farmers, researchers, bureau of meteorology staff and food security personnel. A range of resource materials were customised in Australia for these other countries and adapted for workshops. During previous visits to these countries, there were meetings with researchers, extension officers, farmers, meteorologists, policy makers and other project members and as a result, a set of workshop aims and criteria for participants attending the workshops was developed. Educational course-ware has been developed for a range of stakeholders including secondary schools, vocational and tertiary education, formal and informal materials for workshops. This material has been developed not only in booklet format but also multimedia format so as to appeal to the changing face of education and learning styles of students. A structured program for workshops were proposed but had to in-build flexibility so as to cope with different needs of participants. The workshops consisted of sessions on the climate of their country, tools to assist forecasting, application of forecasts, communication, evaluation and future work. This is an edited version of the paper presented at the International Conference on Applying seasonal climate forecasts in agriculture, 24-26 September 2002., Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu, INDIA