SA - Burdekin WQIP Cane Implementation Plan Irrigation_FINAL 080319 (1) | Page 53

Table 6.1 . Primary data sources for benchmarking management practices in Lower Burdekin sugarcane under the Paddock to Reef program , 2016-17 . Source : DAF , P2R Management Practice Adoption Program Area , October 2018 .

Smartcane BMP 53,576 59 BPS survey 2016-17 ² 454 farms 49 ( TBC ) DES Environmental Services and Regulation 34,926 39 Soil testing frequency 2010-2017 Expert advice ( various )

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Data quality varies between programs .

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Also considered parallel surveys conducted in 2012 and 2014 , results are very similar across time .

Using this data , current adoption estimates for key management practices in irrigation , nutrient , herbicide and soil management ( practices with the greatest weightings in the P2R WQ Risk Framework in Attachment 1 ) are summarised below .

This information indicates that a large proportion of the sugarcane area in the Lower Burdekin is currently managed using High or Moderate risk management practices .

6.1.1 Irrigation management

The following points are highlighted for adoption of irrigation management practices . Note that the reporting areas are not identical to those defined in this report as the BRIA and Delta ; instead the data is divided into the Haughton / Barratta and Lower Burdekin / Don – and are similar to the BRIA and Delta respectively :

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The main method of irrigation in the Haughton / Barratta and Lower Burdekin / Don is furrow irrigation ( 97 per cent and 99 per cent ) respectively . A small percentage of growers in the Haughton / Barratta use low pressure overhead irrigation ( 1 per cent ) or drip irrigation ( 2 per cent ), with only 1 per cent using drip irrigation in the Lower Burdekin / Don .

A majority of the area (> 95 per cent ) is irrigated more than 13 times per year , with the remaining areas irrigating between 7 and 13 times per year .

Irrigation is lost from all blocks each irrigation from a majority of the area in the Haughton / Barratta ( 95 per cent ) and the Lower Burdekin / Don ( 80 per cent ) ( both High risk ). In the Lower Burdekin / Don , limited runoff is reported on occasions in approximately 15 per cent of the area .

Irrigation scheduling tools are not used across 65 per cent the region ( High risk ). In-field indicators ( eg tensiometers , capacitane probes , gypsum block ) are used in a few blocks in 30 per cent of the Haughton / Barratta and 34 per cent of the Lower Burdekin / Don ( Moderate risk ). Crop growth models are used in conjunction with scheduling tools in several representative blocks in 5 per cent of the BRIA but only 1 per cent of the Lower Burdekin / Don ( Lowest risk ).

Irrigation volume is determined by the time taken to get all runs through in 95 per cent of the region ( High risk ). Efforts are made to adjust irrigation volume to match estimated crop water requirement at the time in 4 per cent of the area ( Moderate risk ), and in field sensors are used in an automated system that manages applications , and irrigation ceases when tailwater is detected in 1 per cent of the area ( Lowest risk ).

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