Agriculture - HydroPlan

Projects > Agriculture

Agriculture

Water is one of the biggest operating costs but often least understood. Good irrigation design can save thousands of dollars in running costs, as well as substantially increase yields and quality. Having designed hundreds of systems for viticultural, horticultural and broad acre applications, HydroPlan have a huge knowledge base which is used to find individual solutions for every project.

Coolmore Horse Stud, Jerrys Plains NSW

HydroPlan designed a new pumping station and irrigation system for this international horse stud in NSW. The pumping station can draw 300 L/s from the river using a 500 kW VFD control package. The 323...

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Cockatoo Sands - Kunnanurra

HydroPlan was engaged by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture in 2008 to prepare a preliminary capital cost estimate to construct the supply infrastructure for a large scale pressurised irrigation system Kununurra in the...

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Red Flag Turf Farm, Tianjin, China

Having designed and supervised construction of irrigation and water supply systems for China's largest commercial turf farm, HydroPlan developed operation manuals and signage for the operators. Translations were done by one of our staff, and...

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Defender Farms - Victoria

Investigation and reports on irrigation systems for an 800 hectare almond orchard, including recommendations for increasing yields through improvements to water treatment and drip irrigation laterals.

Wine Industry Supplies

A new irrigation system was required for a 230 Hectare vineyard near Bordertown, South Australia. A dual system (frost control and drip irrigation) for the Chardonnay variety was required, with drip irrigation installed on the...

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Cadell Irrigation Area

Costs and Benefits of integrating the rehabilitation of the off-farm water delivery system with on-farm re-planting and upgrades of irrigation systems. Rehabilitation of the off-farm system was a key factor in delay and acceleration of...

Irrigation project management services initially for a resort golf course, followed by investigations into a 3,200 ha sugar plantation, of which 600 ha is currently irrigated. Conceptual design and investigations only.

This project covered 205ha and involved automatic transfer of water on demand from the river to the vineyard. This project also involved design of the vineyard pumping and filtration system, and drip irrigation system.

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Kia Ora Stud, Aderdeen NSW

Upgrade of existing irrigation. 100litre/sec automatic pumping system from river to 170Ha pasture irrigation using hard hose irrigators. Turbine pumping units for 3 wells. All operated by sophisticated auto controls.

Feature Project

Willunga Basin Reclaimed Water Pipeline

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The Willunga Basin Pipeline is a large reclaimed water scheme which is owned and operated by its water users. Despite being funded without government assistance, it continues to expand, providing a catalyst for economic growth, replacing stressed groundwater and reducing nutrient discharge to the sea.

Like the fine wines of the region, it seems this scheme gets better with age.

HydroPlan has been instrumental in this scheme which has grown from 17 commercial users to over 150. Much of the success is attributed to the simple and smart engineering concepts developed from HydroPlan's knowledge of water user requirements.

Water is given greatest value when it is delivered with minimum fuss and maximum reliability. Growers can irrigate by just turning on their tap. There is no need to 'order water', and there is no need for storage, pumps or power on-farm.

The first water users formed a Joint Venture and company (Willunga Basin Water) to build Stage 1 of the pipeline so that they could pursue their core business of irrigated horticulture (mostly viticulture).

Over the last decade, WBW has expanded the scheme every year so that their neighbours can access water as well.

The primary water source is the Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant which is 10 km north of the Willunga Basin, and is one of 4 metropolitan treatment works. From late 2004, treated effluent from the local towns of McLaren Flat, McLaren Vale and Willunga has also been injected into the scheme. From 2008, treated water from the Aldinga WWTP was added as well.

In the absence of significant "winter" storage, small quantites of groundwater and mains water were used in peak periods. WBW continues to seek opportunities for winter storage and was a key participant in Waterproofing the South and Aldinga Managed Aquifer Recharge (ASR) which provide several gigalitres.

There is sufficient 'waste' water flowing to sea from CBWWTP to replace the annual abstraction of groundwater for irrigation in the Willunga Basin.

The Willunga Basin Pipeline is a triple-bottom-line role model. It made no draw on public funds, it delivers high value to the community, and it reduces nutrient discharge to the ocean whilst replacing water consumption from aquifers and the Murray.

Like the fine...