1. Attend an Introduction to Irrigation Management course.
These are very flexible, in small blocks over a period of months and commanding similar praise to the very successful NSW Ag PROGRAZE courses.

Each course group is small (fewer than 15) and brings together farmers from the same area who produce similar crops with similar irrigation systems.

2. Talk to an IDMP expert
(Gary Giddings NSW Ag Dubbo 0427 201 890) to discuss the preparation of your IDMP and receive advice about local issues, the detail that will be required, and identify consultants who may assist you.

3. Get some professional assistance
Farm management advisors to evaluate the financial impacts and assist in the preparation of accurate GPS based irrigation plans with layers identifying alternate strategies.

Soil surveyors for advice on the suitability of your soils for irrigation and the options to improve the management of soils for sustained productivity.

Irrigation designers to evaluate the performance of current systems or for re-developing an existing irrigation and drainage system.

4. Get some financial assistance
If you are a licensed or non-licensed commercial irrigator who completes the WaterWise on the Farm Introduction to Irrigation Management course or another recognised training program, the cost of preparing your IDMP may be subsidised by the Irrigated Agriculture Water Use Efficiency Incentive Scheme.

Three kinds of support are available from this scheme:

1. Irrigation and Drainage Management Plan Grant a grant of 80% of the cost of an irrigation and drainage management plan (IDMP), to a maximum of $12,000 per farm business.

2. Water Use Efficiency Works Grant - a grant of 50% of the cost of the completed works, to a maximum of $15,000, for works, as identified in a IDMP, which achieve a significant gain in the irrigation water use efficiency of an irrigation system.

3. Crop Water Use Monitoring Grant - a grant of 50% of the cost of the works and/or services for crop water use monitoring, to a maximum of $2,000.(Note: No IDMP is needed to access this grant.)

For more details on the guidelines for the preparation of an IDMP or GPS based farm systems mapping contact.

Ian Foreman - iforeman@hassall.com.au
PH: 0268 845544 or FAX: 0268 845542

A special thanks to Stephen Elliot (Coordinator Irrigation Industry Assistance NSW Ag Orange) for some of the detail in this article.