Revegetation StrategiesMatt Colloff

maximising benefits ofrevegetation

~$100m/yr investmentin revegetation

• Increase establishmentsuccess by improvingnodulation with native rhizobia

• Role of soil engineers ininfluencing local andcatchment water balance

• Role of insect herbivory inaltering water uptake by trees

Rhizobial strain0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Pla

nt

we

igh

t(g

ms

)

GoodBad

Revegetation

Irrigation Water SavingsShahbaz Khan

increasing irrigation benefitsand saving water

Efficiencies in Murrumbidgee Irrigation AreaGL 2000/01

Irrigation water(surface)

Irrigationwater

(groundwater)

Rainfall

Regionalgroundwater

1048

439

26

Off-farmconveyance

90%95%

On-farmconveyance

88%90%

Fieldefficiency

89%95%

Edge offarm

836

946

1162Rootzone

Edge offield

Water useefficiency

Waterproductivity

87%91%

798t/GL836

Economicreturn

$198K/GL$207

1419ET

Shallowground-

water118

1,300,241tonnes

$322mprofit

Total watersupply1630

18 Applyingproject results

Current

75 GL saved +$14m profit

EnvironmentalBenefit

Monitoring anddelivery

100 – 200 GL

Closer monitoringand delivery

10 – 50 GL

Piping channels

15 – 70 GL

Reducingevaporation losses

20 – 50 GL

Incentives forefficient water use

10 to 30% increasein water security

Providing ecosystemservices

reduction in rechargeabatement cost

match demand with supply

_ accessions to watertable

Water Savings

production andenvironmental benefits

Incr

easi

ngin

vest

men

t

Sealing leakychannels

_ accessions to watertable_ salinity

promotion of water efficientcommunity

Off-farmMurrumbidgee &ColeamballyIrrigation Areas

On-farmMurrumbidgee &ColeamballyIrrigation Areas

EnvironmentalBenefit

Soil + groundwater monitoring

0.1 to 3 ML/ha

Irrigation flowmonitoring

0.2 to 2.5 ML/ha

Laser levelling0.1 to 0.4 ML/ha

Lining on-farmchannels

1 to 4% of supply

Converting floodto sprinkler

0.1 to 2.2 ML/ha

Converting floodto drip

2.0 to 4.0 ML/ha

_ accessions to watertable

Water Savings

_ subsurface drainage_ surface drainage

Incr

easi

ngin

vest

men

t

$2,0

00 -

$7,0

00 /M

L

_ accessions to watertable_ salinity

Ecological OutcomesRod Oliver

linking water regimes to ecologicaloutcomes along the Murray Valley

The Living Murray

River MurrayFlood Inundation Model

1956 Flood Extent

Adelaide

Melbourne

Canberra

Albury

Barmah ForestFlood Inundation Model

DEM from LIDAR –Barmah Millewa

70 cm inundation

Vegetation1. Species composition

2213231TOTAL

20056Halophyte

66Succulent

1569131Hydrophyte

43838Obligate aquatic

137812256TOTAL

1131169Tree

3844706Shrub

2988488Perennial monocot

1081163Annual monocot

2375300Perennial forb

2363431Annual forb

No. ofrecords

No. ofspecies

Indigenous1850 species

Exotics 406 species (16%)

Rare & threatened 24 species

2. Spatial modelling

+ existing survey data

years

carb

on p

er h

ecta

re

0 60 120 180 240 300

0

1

2

25% conservation (t)50% conservation (t)100% conservation (t)

Vegetation3. Dynamic modelling