Introduction
1 Purpose and background
1.1 Purpose
The Burdekin Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 ( herein referred to as Burdekin WQIP 2016 ; NQ Dry Tropics , 2016 ) identifies the priority water quality issues in the Burdekin Region and makes recommendations for management strategies and actions to meet water quality targets . The plan identified that further effort is required to develop more detailed implementation plans to ensure that management effort and investment is focused and targeted to the most cost-effective solutions .
In response to this , the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries ( DAF ) funded NQ Dry Tropics to develop an implementation plan to engage and support the sugarcane industry in the Burdekin region to adopt management practices and systems that work towards achieving the Water Quality Improvement Plan targets .
The specific objectives are to : �
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Develop a practical , on-ground implementation-focused plan for targeted and coordinated delivery of extension , incentives and BMP projects to the sugarcane industry in the Burdekin region , to work towards the targets and goals of the Water Quality Improvement Plan ( WQIP ).
Refine the suite of on-ground delivery actions that have the best chance of supporting management change of priority practices in priority areas identified in the WQIP and the organisations with the greatest capacity to deliver the actions .
Identify a strategic , coordinated approach to planning on-ground delivery , involving all organisations that deliver services to cane growers that contribute to water quality improvement ( NQ Dry Tropics , DAF , BPS , Farmacist , BBIFMAC , SRA , Canegrowers , private ).
Describe a whole of catchment approach to future delivery in keeping with the priorities in the WQIP , incorporating production system change and associated groundwater and ecosystem repair activities .
Identify any gaps in currently funded projects , which can be used to develop future funding proposals and guide future investment ( e . g . Queensland Government funding ).
This document provides the foundation for an implementation plan for sustainable sugarcane irrigation to support water quality improvement in the Lower Burdekin . It essentially forms Phase 1 of a larger process that is required to develop a fully coordinated implementation plan for the region . Three major tasks were agreed by DAF , NQ Dry Tropics and the Burdekin Cane Extension Group ( BCEG ) to be the most valuable use of the resources as the first step to support implementation of improved sugarcane irrigation practices in the Lower Burdekin :
1 . Prepare a synthesis document to capture the current understanding of : � What is ‘ B ’ practice – specific definition of irrigation efficiencies , practices and costs ? � Irrigation management ( including recycle pits ) in the context of BRIA and Delta characteristics . � Current adoption estimates – identify what needs to be addressed ( in collaboration with the
Paddock to Reef program ) and capture current limitations . � Clearly document modelling assumptions and current results . � Describe current dissolved inorganic nitrogen ( DIN ) load reduction targets and the level of adoption required to meet those targets . 2 . Evaluate investment to date – current and past . A comprehensive review of this nature is outside the scope of this project and could be considered in more detail as part of the proposed DAF Regional
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