Summary and highlights of this document
The Burdekin Water Quality Improvement Plan 2016 ( Burdekin WQIP 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 .
This document provides the foundation for an implementation plan for sustainable sugarcane irrigation ( Lower Burdekin Irrigation Extension and Investment Plan ) 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 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 . The structure of this document reflects these tasks :
� Part I : Recommended approach for improved sugarcane irrigation management in the Lower
Burdekin for better water quality outcomes . Supported by :
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Part II : Synthesis of the current understanding of water quality outcomes from irrigation management in sugarcane in the Lower Burdekin , including updated information since the finalisation of the Burdekin WQIP 2016 ; and Part III : Documentation and evaluation of investment ( current and past ) in improved irrigation management for water quality improvement in the Lower Burdekin .
The information will inform the Regional Extension Plan to be developed by DAF this year ( as part of the DAF Enhanced Extension Program 2018-2020 ), the SRA Adoption Program and the Lower Burdekin Groundwater Strategy Project , and future investments such as the Australian Government ’ s Reef Trust Partnership 2018- 2023 being administered by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation which includes approximately $ 201 million to improve water quality on the GBR .
The highlights of this document are provided below . Readers are encouraged to refer to the full document for further detail .
Part I : Recommended approach for improved sugarcane irrigation management in the Lower Burdekin for better water quality outcomes
Principles and suggested themes ( Section 2.1 )
Drawing on the information contained in Part II and Part III , the primary principles and themes recommended for the Irrigation Extension and Investment Plan ( Section 2.1 ) are listed below . Guidance for actions to be considered in the Irrigation Extension and Investment Plan are also provided ( Section 2.2 ), drawing on the Burdekin WQIP 2016 and including updated information and input from local experts .
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