South Australia Region
Contact
Peter Toome (National Chair)
Tel: 08 8342 5343, Fax: 08 8342 5363, Mobile: 0418 813 678
Email: p.toome@adcon.at
Max Curnow (Chair)
HR Products, PO Box 204, Port Adelaide SA 5015
Tel: 08 8341 0707, Mobile: 0419 804 139
Email: maxc@hrproducts.com.au
Peter Le Riche (Deputy Chair)
TAFE SA
Tel: 08 8372 6812 Fax: 08 8372 6888, Mobile: 0401 122 891
Email: Peter.LeRiche@tafesa.edu.au
Richard James (Treasurer)
Tel: 08 8584 7398, Fax: 08 8584 6798, Mobile: 0418 808 873
Email: rjames@loxtonirrigation.com.au
Roger Flavell
Hills Irrigation
Tel: 08 8389 8400, Fax: 08 8289 8599, Mobile: 0428 842 426
Email:
roger@acsl.com.au
Paul Andrews
Sentek
Tel: 08 8366 1923, Mobile: 0407 400 699
Email:
pandrews@sentek.com.au
Dave Chester (Industry Development Officer)
Tel: 08 8226 4425, Fax: 08 8226 4408, Mobile: 0418 942 290
Email: david.chester@irrigation.org.au
Next meeting
Next meeting is TBA at Urrbrae Horticultural Centre, Room .01(irrigation training room).
Industry Development Officer
SA Industry Development Officer, David Chester, has been pursuing an Urban Water Use Efficiency project since June 2008. This project is supported by members in the irrigation industry, in partnership with SA Water and Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL).
An advisory board, with members who represent the wide water industry in SA, has the responsibility of establishing the vision and providing insights into developing the strategic direction for IAL's State Committee and its IDO to implement the action plan for its water ase efficiency project for urban regions in SA. The board meets 4 times a year and consists of water people from backgrounds that would benefit the IAL IDO program:
Dr Paul Dalby (International Centre of Excellence - Water Resource Management) - education, academia, and research representation
Geoff Ball (SA Water) - State Government water agency representation
Joe Flynn (Water Industry Alliance) - whole of water industry representation
Geoff Fuller (Nursery Garden Industry Association - SA) - landscape, nursery, turf industry representation
IAL is represented by: Max Curnow (chairman, IAL SA regional committee), Peter Moller (IDO facilitator) and David Chester.
Irrigation in South Australia
South Australia is the unchallenged centre of Australia's wine industry. The success of this industry however owes much to irrigation (around 88% of the annual production is irrigated). The rapid rise in new plantings in the mid 1990's brought with them significant improvements in irrigation infrastructure - with systems being planned from the ground up to take account for soil variations; with designs completed by Certified Irrigation Designers and with systems installed to rigid specifications.
Water users across South Australia are being moved from "area" based to "volumetric" water licenses. In many areas, water supply bodies are also mandating water use efficiency targets. The net result is a gradual change in approach to water management. This first evidence of this change is being seen in the rapid introduction of water meters and the accompanying improvements in head works at the water source. This is likely to be followed by some serious head scratching on the efficiency of the irrigation systems being used. This will lead to irrigators in other crops, notably fodder and pasture, taking serious steps to review the efficiency of their flood irrigation - and no doubt to an increase in the use of centre pivot and linear move systems in the sector. If viticulture is any indication, this change will be followed by a rapid growth in the use of moisture monitoring equipment to improve irrigation scheduling.
Adelaide is located within a 2 hour drive of the key irrigation districts which also, thanks to the wine industry, are the centre of many of the State's best known tourist spots.
NEWS
South Australia held their AGM on the 22nd of June 2010 at the Hackney Hotel, Hackney. The AGM was well attended by members and the evening event by members and others associated within the water related operations of South Australia. Committee nominations where called for, nomination forms sighted and noted, resulting in two new faces on the SA IAL committee, Roger Flavell from Hills Irrigation and Paul Andrews from Sentek.
The guest speaker for the evening was Scott Ashby, Chief Executive Officer for the newly established Department of Water which embodies the state Office of Water Security. Scott spoke at length of the background and history that has lead to the need for the new department and explained their vision and priorities. He noted the importance of working collaboratively with organisations such as the SA IAL due to the technical and skills based support that our industry can bring to the table. He also explained the setting up of the Goyder Institute where research would be undertaken in alignment with government policy and felt that the SA IAL through their members would be involved within aspects of this program.
The event was also to recognise and thank Don Marriott, who has chosen not to remain a committee member. Don has been a dedicated member who volunteered 22 years of tireless support towards the irrigation industry both nationally and at the state level. The opportunity was also taken by Peter Toome to thank Don's wife, Val for her support for Don to be such a dedicated member.