increase font size
IrrigationNZ says a severe El Nino could mean many farmers will run short of water half way through this season.
With strong indications of an El Nino this summer, farmers are being urged to plan how they will use their seasonal irrigation volume.
IrrigationNZ says a severe El Nino could mean many farmers will run short of water half way through this season.
INZ chief executive Andrew Curtis was responding to NIWA's prediction that the current El Nino pattern is on track to be "the second most intense since 1950", with soils around the country drying out fast and irrigation in full swing as temperatures rise.
Guidelines released recently by the government urged farmers to use irrigation water efficiently and plan for water restrictions as they prepared for El Nino.
MetService says the pool of abnormally warm seas centred on the equator now extends right across the Pacific Ocean from South America to Vanuatu. Sea temperatures in August across the central Pacific exceeded 2 degrees above normal. It is the strongest El Nino since 1997-98, by all indicators.
Curtis says the focus for irrigators needs to be on spreading their water allocations further this season.
"Timing is everything in a marginal season. Irrigators need to start the season well and maintain consistent performance. Inefficient irrigation now will have a huge impact on whether your irrigation volume will see you through to March.
"Irrigation scheduling is central to this, particularly now irrigators are limited in the water they have in seasonal volumes. With water meters in place, irrigating farmers should be watching closely what they are using, regularly reviewing soil moisture levels and crop requirements and applying water as efficiently as possible. Following the dry winter there's no
room for waste or poor performance as every drop of water will be needed this summer. We recommend sitting down and planning your water budgets."
Appropriate irrigation scheduling, maintaining irrigation equipment and keeping it performing to specification will minimise down-time, leakage or delivery problems, Curtis says.
"Ensuring irrigators are working as they should guarantees you're getting the best from the water you apply. Simple early-season calibration checks can save a lot of water over the season and are a no-brainer to do. Some systems may be 20-30% out and using more water than you need will shorten your irrigation budget significantly."
As the season goes on, regular maintenance will be essential, says Curtis.
"Checking pressure and sprinklers is recommended.
Tips for summer
OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of transparency by the Crown-owned entity - spurred by its refusal to release information under the OIA about its conduct around Cyclone Gabrielle and the Hawke's Bay flooding.
Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Vanessa Winning is stepping down after four years in the role.
Merging MetService and NIWA is the right thing to do, but independent weather forecaster Phil Duncan of WeatherWatch says he isn’t sure a merged entity will boost rural weather forecasting.
NIWA scientists leading New Zealand’s MethaneSAT agricultural emissions science programme are gearing up for the launch of its satellite.
The El Nino weather pattern is likely to kick in during the last few weeks of February.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
OPINION: The New Zealand red meat sector, with support from the Government, has upped the ante to retain and expand its niche in the valuable Chinese market - and the signs are looking positive.
Keratin extracted from New Zealand wool could soon find its way into products used to minimise osteoporosis, promote gut health, and other anti-inflammatories, says Keraplast chief executive Howard Moore.
DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.
Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.
An eight million dollar, three year campaign to get wealthy Chinese to buy New Zealand beef and lamb is now underway.
OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.
OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.
