Rivers
Sustainable water supplies require innovation as well as simple savings. The Project will develop more flexible systems of water management capable of handling the needs of irrigators and the environment in a cooperative way. New technologies, such as real-time information and control using wireless sensor networks, will facilitate water management arrangements that are more responsive to need and create a milieu for innovation at farm level. More accurate information on the interactions of river, ground and surface water, together with more flexible allocation arrangements and precise methods of distribution, will enable supplies to be adjusted according to irrigation demand, variable climatic conditions and environmental need. Combined with alternative farming practice, the Project's innovations in water management will:
- Boost efficiency and farming profitability by improving water delivery services and providing greater choice of water products
- Improve river health and protect long-term groundwater supplies
- Reduce wastage and enable dual supply (where the same water can be used for more than one purpose)