PROC-9177288: Improving surface and sub-surface water management across the medium and high rainfall zones of Australia.

Description

Grain growers are significantly impacted by water runoff, evaporation, and waterlogging due to their direct influence on crop water availability and soil health. Excessive water runoff and draining can lead to erosion and loss of vital nutrients, while high evaporation rates reduce the amount of water available for crop growth, particularly during critical development stages. Conversely, waterlogging can suffocate plant roots, reduce oxygen availability, and increase the risk of diseases. By managing these factors effectively, grain growers can enhance water use efficiency, promoting healthier crops and higher yields.There are known solutions to improve surface and sub-surface drainage such as land-forming with heavy machinery to alter the flow of water on the soil surface and installation of sub-surface drainage. GRDC investments through the National Grower Network (NGN) have demonstrated significant profit gains from the use of these strategies in areas prone to waterlogging. But the upfront costs are significant and growers in medium rainfall zones (MRZ) and high rainfall zones (HRZ) across Australia require more information on (a) how to practically implement these options, (b) the costs and benefits of different options in different areas, and (c) the legalities of doing so.GRDC is seeking the delivery of a national investment to solve these knowledge gaps by implementing a series of farm-scale and paddock-scale research sites across the MRZ and HRZ. The investment will conduct a comprehensive review of the legalities of altering water flow in different areas and produce a practical ‘how to guide’ supplemented by case studies. Agronomic, financial and environmental data collected at each demonstration site will be used to estimate the long-term benefits and challenges of different drainage options in different soil types, cropping systems, and climatic conditions. That data will be coupled with spatial modelling to assist GRDC and the grains industry better estimate the size of the opportunity nationally in improving grower profit from surface and sub-surface drainage.