VALUE OF WATER

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19902, 3 June 1936, Page 9

VALUE OF WATER

IRRIGATION IN AUSTRALIA. EXTENSIVE AREAS DEVELOPED. } MILLIONS OF ACRES INVOLVED. ‘ Some Interesting sldellghts on the ‘sreat irrigation schemes in Australia were given by Mr James Payne, as—sistant Alistralian Trade Commissioner, in an interview yesterday with a \\'aikaio Times representative. .\ir Payne said Australia‘s first experiments in irrigation were made with the object of bringing under cultiva—tion areas in which an inadequate raint’all rendered agricultural and even pastoral occupations precarious and intermittent and although these original settlements have generally proved I'airiy successful, most of the States, instead of promoting new settlement in occupied regions, are adopting the policy of making existing settlements closer, by re-purchasing large estates and Sub—dividing them into suitable sizes t'or cultivation, and selling the land upon easy terms of payment. it is in connection with this closer settlement policy that the special value of irrigation is recognised. During the last 10 years the extent of the area under irrigation in Australia has grown from 1138.520 acres to approximately 1,000,000 acres and schemes under construction will almost double this acreage on completion. Until recently Victoria shewcd the largest irrigated acreage, with New South VVaies next, the remaining slates dieing relutiveiy small. The crops on these irrigated areas include luccrne grasses and green forage, accounting for 57 per cent. rc‘rcals for 7 per cent, 01‘ii‘lltll‘dS and vineyards for approximately 8 per cent. and rice, root crops, market gardens, for the remaining area. Work in Victoria. In Victoria 5200 miles of irrigation channels have been constructed, largely in the Malice Country in the north western part of the State, and in addition to this 8200 miles of domestic and stock supply channels‘are laid, providing an area. of almost. 500,000 acres of irrigated crops. Practically halt the irrigation area of Victoria is supplied from the (ioulburn River in North East Victoria, the balance being provided from the Murray River lower down from the junction 01' the Goul—burn River. in the .\iilduna district, from which large supplies of sultanas and other dried fruits are obtained, pumping stations are erected along the banks of the Murray to assure a regular supply to some 30,000 acres of vineyards and citrus groves. The capacity oi" these storagcs in Victoria, totals in the vicinity of 2,000,000 acre feet and schemes in course of construction provide for another half million acre feet. it is of interest to note that on'thc .\lurray lliver t 8 \\‘cirs and locks have been constructed and so, the regular system of irrigation is provided for, continued .\ir Payne. Assistance to files Industry. In New South W'ales the Burrinjuck' Dam, with its capacity of 772,000 acre feet has recently been completed and the Government with this and other lesser conservation schemes has assured regular domestic and stock supplies to areas which formerly were subject to drought conditions. The rice production in Australia is one of :the industries made possible by the irrigation system in the Grimth area and the dried and canned fruits from Leeton and adJoining districts in southel‘n New South Wales owe their existence to the engineers responsible for these great undertakings. South Australia also possesses a great system of pipe reticulation and ilUmning stations from the locks on ”‘9 MUVWY River, and large tracts of fol'meljli' drr. droushty country are now given over to we production 01. grapes and other fine fruits as well as to _the ‘t‘ani’ous citrus grayes from which .\ew Zealand will be drawing its ”“01“ “1 oranges during the next few Imonths. Another.outstanding watcr ‘3‘ll-11?}l-1:C\V'ln‘-:'\UStE.ulm Is that of .\lun—- \ .7 en 111 \\eslcrnAustraha. 'i‘his Slli'iliies illc water which passes ~ ; IHDL‘ belurc It reaches the lxalgoorlie and Boulder Llity goldtlelds. -}“110Ugil much has been done to “V‘S‘IOD the water resources of Australia, thei'c )‘et remains many hundleds cl thousands 01' acres of ex. iccllcnt irrigabie lands in the States ‘mentzoncd' which are siiii subject to ’ ‘ , : hit to \\hich assured (“MW tjUl'Dlles “I” and Will be given :{iuglehgllfiull‘g' 81311 ‘LL'I'D’ great advanStates. M Dioducers and “1‘"