Irrigation scheme ‘worth looking at’

01-02-2010
Otane farmer Hugh Ritchie is enthusiastic about the possibilities offered by the proposed irrigation scheme in Central Hawke's Bay.

He says the figures of 400mm/ha/year used in the pre-feasibility study are twice as much as what most people would need.

That works out to a liberal application rate of 9mm of water/ha/day, he says.

As a cropping farmer, he was only using half of that amount of water. As a result, he says, half the cost of the water to the gate - to around $4000/ha - would be quite affordable.

He has seen farmers line up for South Island irrigation schemes - which are not predominantly dairying - where the cost is more than $11,000/ha to get the water to the gate.

The increased land value at sale of say another $10,000/ha had to be factored in.

He wants farmers to ensure they look hard at the proposed irrigation project.

"There was nearly three inches of rain last week and people were saying they didn't need irrigation in Hawke's Bay, but up until Monday we were right behind the eight-ball and going hard out to try and keep up.

"I think water going forward is worth looking at, and that we have a regional council prepared to spend the money to see what it would cost is a pretty useful thing."

As more science comes out about ground and surface water connections, it is entirely possible water consents from run-of-river and even groundwater will be reviewed and reduced, he says.

That would make irrigation schemes using dams even more valuable.