Productive agricultural systems that protect water quality
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Project leader: | Dr David Nash RMB 2460 Hazeldean Rd Ellinbank VIC 3821 Phone 0356242253 Mobile 0408338782 Fax 56242200 Email David.Nash@dpi.vic.gov.au |  |
Introduction
Victoria’s water resources represent one of the state’s most important natural assets, providing habitat for diverse flora and fauna and sustaining human activities, including agriculture. However, since European settlement the pressure on Victoria’s waterways has increased, adversely affecting the health of many aquatic environments. These adverse effects include water becoming “saltier, dirtier and laden with nutrients” (EPA Victoria 2001) (external link). It is estimated that one third of Victoria’s major streams and two thirds of its wetlands are in poor or very poor condition (Victorian Government 2004). Poor river health and water quality contribute to significant losses of fish, birds and other animals and plants, as well as reducing the value of water for public, agricultural, industrial and recreational purposes.
In the recently released White Paper the Victorian Government identified that sustainable water resources are vital to Victoria’s long-term prosperity (Victorian Government 2004). The White Paper highlights the Victorian Government’s commitment to maintaining healthy water resources that support growing communities and a thriving economy over the next 50 years. Catchment Management Authorities and the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (State Environment Protection Policy – Waters of Victoria) have identified a range of water quality issues in Victoria which are affected by agricultural systems, with effects varying between catchments.
The Project
The Productive agricultural systems that protect water quality project provides both coordination for the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) water quality research on phosphorus and nitrogen (including the DPI contribution to e-Water CRC, program D2) and the fundamental knowledge that will underpin the development of economically, socially and environmentally sustainable agricultural systems. The project is:
1. providing leadership in developing, coordinating and managing DPI water quality research; and
2. conducting strategic research investigating phosphorus and nitrogen exports that will enable the acquisition of new knowledge and suggest a range of management options.
1. High rainfall animal production module
The high rainfall animal production module focuses on dairy and beef production systems and incorporates the DPI contribution to the eWater CRC contaminants program (D2). Initially, quantitative and qualitative information relating to nutrient and sediment exports is being assembled to determine knowledge gaps; this information is also used in developing risk-based approaches to managing contaminants.
2. Low/Medium rainfall animal production module
The low/medium rainfall animal production module focuses on sheep production systems in western Victoria, and is being conducted in partnership with the Glenelg-Hopkins CMA. The research aims to advance our understanding of the processes responsible for nutrient export in these systems and to provide a scientific foundation on which to improve management decisions.
3. Intensive agriculture/horticulture/viticulture
The intensive agriculture module is focused on understanding nutrient export from horticultural systems, with an initial focus on the viticulture industry. The project has completed a review of research into nutrient movement from vineyards, with the results being used to identify knowledge gaps, research priorities and to inform a Bayesian network of nutrient movement. The results of process investigations and the Bayesian network will be used to investigate potential management options for reducing nutrient export.
Summary of Future Work
| 1 | Support from GippsDairy will allow conceptual models and technical information developed in this project to be provided for the development of the new Macalister Land and Water Management Plan. | |
| 2 | A rainfall simulation study will be conducted at Hamilton during July 2006 to determine the effects of phosphorus fertiliser application, sheep stocking rate and animal camping areas on the potential losses of nutrients in surface runoff. Analysis of these data will provide vital information to the Glenelg-Hopkins CMA on nutrient exports in overland flow from sheep-grazed pasture fertilised with superphosphates. | |
| 3 | A conceptual Bayesian network has been developed which will form the basis of grower workshops and a desktop investigation of the potential impact of different management strategies on nutrient export from vineyards. Lysimeters will be used to investigate the effect of vineyard management strategies on nutrient leaching. | |
 The USDA specification rainfall simulator in operation at Rutherglen |  Viticulture trials to understand nutrient movements |
EPA Victoria (2001). Draft state environment protection policy (waters of Victoria). Our water our future. Melbourne, Australia, EPA Victoria: 119. An outline of this publication is available for download from the EPA Victoria website (external link). To view the information PDF requires the use of a PDF reader. This can be installed for free from the Adobe website (external link).
Victorian Government (2004). Victorian Government White Paper: Securing Our Water Future Together. Department of Sustainability and Environment (external link).
© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2009.
This document was last reviewed on 04/09/2008