SA - Burdekin WQIP Cane Implementation Plan Irrigation_FINAL 080319 (1) | Page 66

The costs of drip or overhead low pressure irrigation systems also varies widely from site to site . Using data from the NQ Dry Tropics Reef Programme data associated with funding water quality grants , the estimated capital costs associated with drip irrigation have been reported between $ 3,500 and $ 12,000 per hectare , and between $ 2,400 and $ 7,500 per hectare for overhead irrigation . An upfront cost of $ 5,000 per hectare , plus an estimate of $ 1,000 per hectare for on-going annual maintenance costs was used for shifting from C to B irrigation practices ( Moderate to Low , to Low risk ) Burdekin WQIP INFFER analysis . We have applied varied costs across different proportions of the adoption scenarios , with greater adoption of advanced irrigation practices in the BRIA where surface runoff is a significant issue for the downstream receiving environments ( e . g . Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site ). It is recognised that the capital costs may reduce over time as adoption increases , although this has not been factored into the assessment .

No cost variation was applied between the BRIA and Delta regions , as there is limited data to support any other conclusions . It is recognised that in reality , soil types and economies of scale are likely to have large impacts on costs between the BRIA and Delta , but this has not been reported explicitly for irrigation practices to date . An example of a main cost difference here may be the higher cost of sand filters in the BRIA , whereas the average Delta farm may be able to use disc filters .

Some of this information is being updated as part of the Lower Burdekin Groundwater Management Strategy and an analysis of investment pathways to inform the new Australian Government ’ s Reef Trust Partnership administered by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation . It is recommended that this new information be taken into account in the development of the Implementation Plan when it becomes available ( both before the end of 2018 ).

Farm size can also influence management choices and has a bearing on the cost effectiveness of management practice changes . The characteristics of farm sizes and farm numbers ( not enterprises ) for the BRIA and Delta regions are shown in Table 6.6 . It is estimated that there are 530 sugarcane farmers in the region ( E . Shannon pers . comm .), operating 927 farms ( provided by Wilmar , September 2018 ). The data ( as at end of 2017 harvest , provided by Wilmar in September 2018 ) indicates that :

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The BRIA includes 54 per cent of the Lower Burdekin sugarcane production area , and 37 per cent of the number of farms in the region .

The Delta includes 46 per cent of the Lower Burdekin sugarcane production area , and 63 per cent of the number of farms in the region .

Note that the changes between the dataset provided in 2018 and the 2015 dataset used in the Burdekin WQIP 2016 are insignificant . This data highlights the multifaceted approach needed to achieve management practice improvements across the region and informs potential resource implications .

Table 6.6 . Characteristics of the area and number of sugarcane farms in the Lower Burdekin sugarcane area . Data supplied by P . Larsen , Wilmar September 2018 ; data extracted from 2017 harvest season .

Sugarcane region

Characteristic Area classes ( hectares ) % of region

< 100 100-400 400-1000 > 1000 Total

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