Water Wednesday: Innovative water efficiency - next generation irrigation.

The Water Research Centre in conjunction with SA Branch of the Australian Water Association would like to invite you to the next Water Wednesday on Innovative water efficiency - next generation irrigation.

A cap on irrigation diversions in South Australia was introduced in 1978 and improved irrigation practices were launched in the South Australian Riverland in 1981, and the irrigation industry has continued to evolve efficiency options ever since. In the context of reducing availability of water and potential impacts of climate change, the next generation of irrigation management software will need to address the challenge of optimizing irrigation management to maximise net economic returns, while minimising extraction from stressed water sources.

An increasing range of analytical options is offered by software programs developed to assist with irrigation scheduling, ranging from simple irrigation scheduling programs to sophisticated irrigation planning and management programs. Smart scheduling and next generation monitoring systems are becoming part of everyday irrigation management. Better understanding of the factors affecting crop survival and production in the context of changing climatic conditions and water availability will be a vital input to sustainable irrigation management.

This forum will explore past learnings and future options to continue innovations in water efficiency and crop management into the next generation of irrigation technology and management.

• Mr Andrew Johnson, Group Executive Director, PIRSA, ‘Learnings in water efficiency from improved irrigation practices and survival in drought.’

• Prof Steve Tyerman, ARC Professorial Fellow & Professor of Viticulture, Wine 2030 Research Network, University of Adelaide. ‘Understanding drivers for crop survival and maintaining production in changing climatic conditions.’

• Mr Ben Haslett, Paringa, ‘Opportunities in next generation irrigation - the irrigator’s perspective on forward directions’.
  
  

When: Wednesday 9th April 2014, 5:30pm - 6:50pm
Where: Horace Lamb Lecture Theatre, North Terrace, University of Adelaide.

Register by 8th April and be seated by 5:30 pm. There will be an opportunity for networking afterwards.