Burdekin irrigation project

Australia's most productive sugarcane region, the Burdekin, has been identified as a priority catchment for nitrogen (N) and pesticides entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, as a result of excess run-off from low-efficiency furrow irrigation systems. This project aims to reduce nitrogen losses without impacting yield by using a nine-step Improved Irrigation Efficiency Pathway framework. The agronomic system in the Burdekin is complex and influenced by factors such as soil type and farm design, so a whole farming systems approach will be used to maximize the benefits of best management irrigation practices.