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OS1j IWRM: Sustainable management of complex water systems

abstract 381

Harmonising consumptive use and the environment through a Regional Irrigation Business Approach

Author(s): Hector M. Malano, Shahbaz Khan, Brian Davidson
Hector graduated in Agricultural Engineering in 1973. In 1981 he was awarded a Masters degree in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering from Utah State University (USA) for research carried out into the behaviour of infiltration under surge flow hydraulics.

Keyword(s): irrigation, environment, water competition, environmental services

Article:

Poster:

Session: OS1j IWRM: Sustainable management of complex water systems

AbstractThe needs of irrigated agriculture and environmental

sustainability have often been seen as two entirely competitive endeavours. However, with demand for food supply

steadily increasing in future as a result of population growth, and greater society emphasis in maintaining

environmental quality of surface and groundwater supplies, it is imperative that a new approach to meeting both

demands is implemented.
System harmonisation is a business driven approach that seeks to identify opportunities

for irrigators to become an integral part of an environmental services industry aimed at maximising productivity and

environmental outcomes. This approach is designed to integrate the multifunctional nature of surface and

groundwater systems to meet consumptive and environmental demands.
The system harmonisation framework

consists of two main domains: (a) a research domain designed to characterise and analyse the catchment water cycle

and determine the key options for interventions leading to improved productivity and environmental outcomes, the

environmental and economic evaluation of economic and environmental impacts of these options and, the social,

institutional and social aspects of the proposed interventions, and (b) A regional business framework termed

Regional Irrigation Business Partnerships (RIBP) designed to implement the proposed changes.
The system

harmonisation framework was implemented in three RIBPs in diverse locations in Australia. The three RIBP sites

which represent a wide range of hydrological, geological and agricultural conditions are the Coleambally Irrigation

Area (NSW), the South Creek Catchment (Western Sydney), and the McIntyre-Brook system (Queensland). The

analysis focuses primarily on the quantification of the water and solutes components of the water cycle together with

the proposed interventions in each site. The economic and environmental costs and benefits of each intervention are

also presented. An analysis of the main social and institutional aspects of the RIBPs will also be included together

with the business models proposed to implement each intervention.

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Harmonising consumptive use and the environment through a Regional Irrigation Business Approach