Maximising Profitability through Irrigation Scheduling
Summer 05/06
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About 90% of groundwater in Hawke’s Bay is used for irrigation.
Correctly scheduling your irrigation maximises your return on investment. Proven benefits of scheduling include increased crop yield, quality and uniformity, and reduced water and energy wastage. |
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Irrigation scheduling is the balancing of water inputs (irrigation and rainfall) vs. water outputs (crop evapotranspiration) using the soil’s ability to store water for plant growth as a reservoir or buffer.
For irrigation to be most effective, the right amount of water must be applied to the right place at the right time. Sounds simple - but there are many factors that need to be taken into account when scheduling:
- Crop type
- Crop growth stage (effective rooting depth & crop evapotranspiration)
- Irrigation system
- Soil type (available water capacity)
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has a series of environment topic sheets relating to irrigation (water management) - pdf files below or contact us for a copy info@hbrc.govt.nz.
For more information about scheduling irrigation contact Andrew Curtis 06 835 9200 ext 9393 andrew.curtis@hbrc.govt.nz or visit the LandWISE website.
Irrigation Environmental Topics