More irrigation water for Greater Meander
Tasmanian Irrigation is delighted to have opened Water Sales for a very exciting 11,000 megalitre augmentation of the Greater Meander Irrigation District.
This highly-anticipated project has been designed to upgrade pump intakes, extend existing pipelines, construct new pipelines and renew the Cheshunt drainage channel, resulting in improved water allocation reliability, increased water allocation licences and reduced maintenance costs.
Additional high-surety irrigation water is planned to be extracted from riparian flows and delivered to landowners via new pipeline, and water could be delivered for the first time to a new area of prime agricultural land located north east of the Bass Highway near Deloraine. The scope also includes possible pipeline extensions for Caveside, Rubicon, Quamby and Hagley.
Tasmanian Irrigation Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kneebone said a total of 11,000 megalitres of new water could be delivered to the region if sufficient demand through the Water Sales process is registered.
“This is a pivotal moment in time for the district,” Mr Kneebone said.
“For the next six weeks, farmers in these areas will be able to contractually apply for water entitlements as part of this important Water Sales process.
“Across Tasmanian Irrigation’s existing and proposed irrigation schemes, we are seeing record levels of interest in this reliable irrigation water.
“In the Greater Meander area, we have farmers continually asking for more water to expand their agricultural businesses focused on berries, dairy, vegetables, poppies, nuts and pasture for livestock finishing.
“This additional irrigation water will ensure new and existing primary industries are supported, creating more jobs and underpinning millions of dollars’ worth of expansion and value adding.”
The Meander Dam was constructed in November 2007 as the centrepiece of the existing 28,800 megalitre irrigation scheme that services Carrick, Caveside, Chudleigh, Dairy Plains, Deloraine, Dunorlan, Elizabeth Town, Exton, Hagley, Meander, Montana, Osmaston and Westbury.
Mr Kneebone sincerely thanked the Australian Government for its $5 million contribution toward the upgrade, as well as irrigators for investing in new water entitlements, and the Tasmanian Government for its $2 million for an upgrade of the Meander mini hydro power station.
“The public / private funding model adopted for irrigation infrastructure across Tasmania has delivered 15 new irrigation schemes and a further 10 are currently being planned. We are delighted that Water Sales are also open for the Tamar Irrigation Scheme and Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme Augmentation.
“This is a very exciting time for agriculture in Tasmania.”
For more information and to download Water Sales application forms for the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme Augmentation, please visit www.tasmanianirrigation.com.au/schemes/greater-meander.
Water Sales close at 2pm on 24 June 2022.
