Soil Moisture Monitoring Update
Sensors in field
Earlier this year Food & Fibre Gippsland was successful in a bid for funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Future Drought Fund for a demonstration site of soil moisture sensors.
The project, “Growing Gippsland’s Drought Resilience with Technology and Better Soil”, aims to build drought resilience among Gippsland’s vegetable producers, as well as reduce the risk of damaging nutrients and sediment finding their way into the Gippsland Lakes.
Led by VegNET Gippsland, the project supports the Gippsland Regional Extension Strategy developed in 2020. Growers in Gippsland identified a need to better demonstrate their efforts to minimise the impact of the industry on the surrounding environment. National EnviroVeg Coordinator Danielle Park was also a driving force behind the successful funding application, with regional EnviroVeg data being integrated as part of the evaluation process.
The project’s Reference Group is also comprised of representatives from Agriculture Victoria, the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Elders agronomist, Noel Jansz.
Tripod Farmers, and Farm Manager Walter Chadwick, are hosting the demonstration on their Boisdale property, situated in the Macalister Irrigation District on the banks of the Avon River. The chosen trial site uses fixed-spray irrigation and is often subject to crosswinds, which cause uneven irrigation across the bays. The project has purchased 20 soil moisture monitors, which will provide the grower with greater awareness of the impact that these crosswinds have and the resulting effectiveness of their irrigation practices. Outcomes that will be shared across the industry may include identification of a wind threshold recommended for optimal irrigation using this system, as well as informing future planning of fixed-spray irrigation.
Ten CropX sensors were installed in September into a cabbage crop with a similar layout to the trial site that is acting as a Control site. This data is withheld from the Farm Manager therefore capturing the impacts of “business as usual” irrigation practice. Last week planting was finished on the trial site and ten further sensors were installed.
The project also draws on additional sets of data and information to get a comprehensive understanding of the impact of irrigation practices on the site. EM38 and grid soil mapping was conducted by Precision Agriculture at the site, and regular analysis of weather records from an on-farm weather station as well as a nearby DPI weather station will be cross-referenced with the soil moisture data.
A webinar was delivered in October which provided an overview of the project, the environmental context in which it is being implemented, and other programs and services available to the industry to support better irrigation practice.
You can view the whole thing or individual presentations here: https://youtu.be/DD1FFziMwO0
The project will wrap up at the conclusion of the peak growing season in April 2022, with a field visit and publication of a case study. And keep an eye out for interesting observations from the site over the next few months!
This program/project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
