Irrigation and Drainage Management Plans


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What are Irrigation and Drainage Management Plans (IDMP)?


Irrigation and Drainage Management Plans (IDMP's) are plans which describe the infrastructure, natural resources and management practices on a property. IDMP's are prepared to plan the productive, profitable and sustainable use of water for irrigation purposes.

IDMP's have been administered by most states seeking to improve water management by providing funding for water resource management planning, infrastructure, salinity and on farm projects that will result in increased water use efficiency and therefore, reduced impact on the environment.

Price Merrett Consulting Offers

  • Professional Service
    PMC staff are professionally qualified and trained surveyors, engineers and irrigation designers.
  • Experience
    PMC has provided quality service to the water and irrigation industry throughout South Eastern Australia for over 23 years
  • Accreditation
    PMC staff hold appropriate certification and accreditation
  • Independence
    PMC is not aligned with any contractors, suppliers or product line
  • Technical Innovation
    PMC continually invests in latest technology, hardware and software

IDMP's are designed to encourage landholders to develop a plan to address both on farm economic, and environmental (salinity) management issues. An IDMP developed to approved standards will ensure that-

  1. The integration of your farms irrigation systems, structures, paddock designs, earthwork calculations, natural vegetation areas and other features, so the property can be productive economically and environmentally
  2. Any money spent on restructuring a farm irrigation layout to the approved standard, will be most beneficial
  3. Individual farm reconstructions are compatible with regional and district drainage systems

Price Merrett Consulting has 23 years experience preparing IDMP's for a range of properties in South Eastern Australia. Price Merrett Consulting can help farmers make smarter use of water and improve how soils and crops are irrigated.

A Price Merrett Consulting IDMP includes the following
  • Property Location
  • Cadastral Details
  • Topographic data
  • Flooding and Drainage
  • Aerial photographs
  • Soils
  • Earthwork calculations
  • Irrigation Infrastructure
  • Irrigation design
  • Native vegetation areas
Bore to supply free water
Channel constructed beside paddock
Fully constructed dam with water
Channel in use
Livestock in green pastures
 

Survey and Concept Design Process


Stage 1 - Consultation and Field Survey
Consultation to determine short and long term goals for the future farm development.
Undertake topographic and feature survey of the farm.

Stage 2 - Preliminary Plans
Reduction of survey data and prepare contour and feature plan.
Designer to prepare concept designs taking into consideration previous instructions/discussions with the landholderincluding the following:
  • Farm issues (problems) Flooding Drainage, Supply etc
  • Soil types
  • Alternate irrigation options available to the layout of the land and soil types

General Design Process


Stage 3 - Consultation
Review concepts and discuss the following features:
  • Farm issues
  • Alternate irrigation options available to the layout of the land and soil types
  • Plan future cropping types (PP, AP, Lucerne, Cereals, etc to ascertain paddock and bay areas)
  • Review possible automation for layout
  • Estimate costs of options

Stage 4 - Preliminary Design (preferred option)
  • Finalise preferred option

Stage 5 - Final Design (preferred option)
Having identified all the issues, develop a IDMP to implement future changes.
Water Use Opportunities:
  • Water loss reduction
  • In Storages
  • In Distribution System
  • In-field

Yield Improvements by:
  • Irrigation Uniformity
  • Irrigation Scheduling
  • Soil Improvement
IDMP design