Case Studies for the Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment. A technical report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment, part of the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund: Water Resource Assessments

Author:
Date of Publication:

2018-06-29

Publication Type:

Report

Pages:

222

Abstract:

This report details six case studies, two in each of the three study areas. The case studies explore a range of scales of development and a wide variety of water sources, capture and storage options and different cropping opportunities. The case studies comprise: • a barramundi aquaculture enterprise near Derby in the Fitzroy catchment • a groundwater-based, irrigated, cotton – mungbean – forage sorghum rotation integrated into an existing beef enterprise in the Fitzroy catchment • a large dam near Darwin supplying water for urban and agricultural use in the Darwin catchments • groundwater and irrigated horticulture in the Darwin catchments • water harvesting and mosaics of irrigated crops in the Mitchell catchment • a large dam and an irrigated sugarcane and sugar mill development in the Mitchell catchment. The case studies are illustrative only. They are designed to show how information from different disciplines could be used in an integrated way when considering potential development options, to provide a tangible means of exploring concepts of relevance to greenfield development in northern Australia. Importantly, the case studies are not designed to demonstrate, recommend or promote particular development opportunities being currently proposed, nor are they CSIRO’s recommendations on how development in the Fitzroy, Darwin or Mitchell catchments should unfold. They are, however, provided as realistic representations. That is, the case studies are ‘located’ in specific parts of the Assessment area, and use specific water and land resources and realistic intensification options. The case studies show that there are soil and water resources that could potentially enable multiple small-scale developments or a single large irrigation development. However, in integrating the information there is an emphasis in this report on assessing the financial viability of each development and exploring factors that may have an impact on financial viability. It is recognised that economic considerations are just one aspect of decision-making for governments and communities, and that financial viability has not always been the major consideration in development decisions by Australian governments or communities in the past.

Publisher:

CSIRO

Place of Publication:

Canberra

Keywords:

Agriculture development Water resource development Greenfield development NAWRA Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment,

Field Of Research:

Agricultural Land Planning; Agricultural Land Management

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25919/5bb66336bf138

Rights Notice:

This report has been placed on the CSIRO repository and may be made available to persons outside of CSIRO for non commercial purposes, in its entirety and without deletion of disclaimers and copyright information.

Funding Sources:

Funding Body Name	Project/Grant ID
Australia. Department of Agriculture	22668

Series Title & No:

A technical report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment, part of the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund: Water Resource Assessments

Identifier:

EP188139

Publication Sub Type:

Client Report (Author)

Language:

English

Attribution Statement:

Petheram, Cuan; Hughes, Justin; Stokes, Chris; Watson, Ian; Irvin, Simon; Musson, Dean; Philip, Seonaid; Turnadge, Chris; Poulton, Perry; Rogers, Lee; Wilson, Peter; Seo, Lynn; Pollino, Carmel; Ash, Andrew; Webster, Tony; Yeates, Stephen; Chilcott, Chris; Bruce, Caroline; Stratford, Danial; Taylor, Andrew; Davies, Phil; Higgins, Andrew. Case Studies for the Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment. A technical report to the Australian Government from the CSIRO Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment, part of the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund: Water Resource Assessments. Canberra: CSIRO; 2018. csiro:EP188139. https://doi.org/10.25919/5bb66336bf138