The Water in Primary Industries Research Unit is responsible for research to quantify the paddock, farm and sub-catchment scale impact of new and existing land use systems on water balance and productivity.

It provides expertise to develop land use systems that are profitable and sustainable and undertakes research to quantify the impact of land use systems on water balance, salinity, agricultural production, natural resources and farm and catchment economics.

Research staff in the Unit conduct water research in both irrigated and rain-fed systems investigating water quantity and quality issues for all common landuse systems including annual pastures and crops, perennial and native pastures, horticulture, forestry and native vegetation. 

Data and knowledge developed by research in the Unit informs land use decision making, policy and modelling approaches to better manage water resources at a range of scales.

Current projects

Key research infrastructure

Research is undertaken at I&I NSW facilities at Wagga Wagga, Orange and Tamworth, with a range of additional research sites and projects (Key Sites) throughout the state.

Key research collaborations

• Future Farm Industries CRC
• CRC for Irrigation Futures
  
• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
  
• National Centre for Groundwater Research & Training
  
• Catchment Management Authorities
  
• R&D (research and development) Corporations
  
• Irrigation Corporations
  
• other state agencies including DECCW
  
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  
• Bureau of Meteorology
  
• Universities; and
  
• grower groups.

Papers

• Rengasamy, North & Smith (2010) Diagnosis and management of sodicity and salinity in soil and water in the Murray Irrigation region. The University of Adelaide, SA. ISBN: 0 9750134 4 0
• North, S. (2008) A review of Basin (Contour) Irrigation Systems I: Current design and management practices in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. Irrigation Matters Series No. 01-1/08 CRC Irrigation Futures.
  
• North, S., Griffin, D., Grabham, M., and Gillies, M. (2010) Improving the Performance of Basin Irrigation Layouts in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin. Technical Report No. 09/10 CRC Irrigation Futures. 
  
• Smith, A., and North, S. (2009) Planning and Managing Centre Pivot and Linear Move Irrigation in the Southern Riverina. CRC for Irrigation Futures Irrigation Matters Series No. 04/09
• Sam North, Claire Kelliher & Adrian Smith (2010) Performance of centre pivot & linear move irrigators. IREC Farmers’ Newsletter - Large Area No. 182: Autumn 2010.  
  

Conference presentations and downloads

• Deniliquin Irrigated Farming Systems Workshop, 23 & 24 Feb 2012
• Hydrology Research Project Discovery Workshop for the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), Gunnedah, 10/08/11.
• NSW DPI Climate '11 Symposium, Wagga Wagga, 06/11
• Water & Mining Conferences 2012

Scientists

Find a list of Water in Primary Industries scientists.

Contact