Water budgeting: calculate your stock water requirements
Developing on-farm water management strategies for the benefit of livestock health and natural capital is the goal of the final in a series of stock water events hosted by GLENRAC, near Glen Innes.
GLENRAC CEO Kylie Falconer said by taking the time to better quantify future water needs, farmers could enhance their long-term farm water security, contribute to improved livestock health and natural capital values and their overall resilience to dry conditions.
“We have financial budgets and pasture budgets, and at this workshop on August 27 we’ll learn how to develop a water budget for our farms,” Ms Falconer said.
“This workshop will address the need for information and support for water systems planning for New England farms that has been identified as a result of feedback from previous field days.”
This is the final event in the Best Practice water infrastructure for New England Farms project supported by the Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub. To date the project has delivered four field day events attended by 133 participants, incorporating five on-farm projects that showcase innovative water infrastructure solutions to meet farm water needs.
“This will be the first time this water budgeting workshop has been offered in Northern NSW for farmers; it will have a practical focus to help farmers calculate their current and future stock and domestic water needs, as well as improve their capacity to meet these needs through water storage, using dams, underground water or streams,” Ms Falconer said.
During the workshop, farmers will work through a Farm Water Management Plan (FWMP) template that can be then used to develop a farm-specific plan.
“This will be a valuable planning document for future discussions within your own business, with your bank manager or that could be used to support drought preparedness loan applications to Regional Investment Corporation or NSW Rural Assistance Authority,” Ms Falconer said.
“We expect that by taking the time to better quantify future water needs, farmers will enhance their long-term farm water security, contribute to improved livestock health and natural capital values and their overall resilience to dry conditions.”
Expert speakers on the day include Sapphire Irrigation Consulting’s Peter Smith, Murray Local Land Services’ Paul Simpson, and other industry experts.
To find out more, call 02 6732 3443 or email kylie@glenrac.org.au.
Morning tea and lunch are provided, and bookings are essential by visiting http://tix.yt/farmwater.
The Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, hosted by the University of New England, receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.