Essential Preparations for Stock Water Management This Summer

Assessing Water Reserves

As summer approaches, Agriculture Victoria Land Management Extension Officer Clem Sturmfels emphasizes the importance of evaluating stock water reserves. He encourages farmers to address several critical questions regarding their water infrastructure:

• What is the current condition of the dams on my farm?
• How many dams are full, and which are still recovering from drought?
• How do current water levels compare to the same time last year?
• Are water levels rising or falling?
• What is the status of my stock numbers?

“Understanding the water availability in your dams is crucial for effective planning and timely actions,” Mr. Sturmfels stated. The unreliability of dams, streams, and springs due to decreased cool season rainfall and rising temperatures makes these assessments increasingly important.

Measuring Water Levels

To accurately measure water levels, farmers can utilize various methods. Mr. Sturmfels suggests that, if a permanent marker or electronic monitoring device is not available, simple tools can be created. One such tool is the ‘Dam deep device,’ which can be fashioned using a hand fishing line, a float, sinker, and beads. A video tutorial on constructing this device can be found below:

Additionally, taking photos of key dams throughout the year helps in tracking performance and making comparative assessments.

Forecasting Future Water Needs

While some meteorological forecasts suggest a wet end to the year, Mr. Sturmfels cautions that such precipitation is unlikely to significantly affect dam levels unless high-intensity rainfall occurs.

Agriculture Victoria provides various tools for farmers to calculate dam volumes based on their specific dimensions. The Farm Water Calculator and the Summer Water Calculator are useful resources to estimate both water volume and duration of use for the existing reserves.

Support for Farmers

For farmers in need of assistance, the Farm Drought Support Grants offer up to $5,000, or up to $10,000 in South West Victoria, as co-contribution grants to fund essential water infrastructure upgrades, including pipes, tanks, troughs, and dams.

Source: Agriculture Victoria. For more information about drought support, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.