Rapid desktop stocktake and appraisal of new and emerging water technologies

Project overview

This project provided the National Water Grid Authority (NWGA) with a rapid desktop appraisal of emerging technologies that have the potential to:

• encourage new agriculture and primary industry development 
• build resilience for existing agriculture and primary industries. 

This research was done by RM Consulting Group. It intended to inform future NWGA Science Program investment. The report includes a gap analysis to identify suggested areas for investment.

Assessment outcomes

There were 16 infrastructure related opportunities identified for potential NWGA investment. Some of these relate to farm scale improvements, which have not been a focus for the NWGA. Others became the subject of later NWGA Science Program projects. Such as mitigation of managed aquifer recharge clogging risk.
 
Potential short term science investments include:

• mosaic irrigation systems
• mosaic capture of tropical overland flow events
• integrated pipelines
• small to medium diameter pipe technology
• low energy pumping systems.

Potential medium term science investments include:

• large diameter pipe technology
• desalination
• real time monitoring and computer aided network management
• opportunities for groundwater irrigation with surface water grid
• mitigation of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) clogging risks
• open system architecture at customer service points.

Potential long term science investments include:

• solar arrays reducing evaporation from supply channels and surface water storages
• non-solar channel or surface storage covers to reducing evaporative losses
• slipform concrete channel construction
• water farms and roaded catchments
• flood forecasting.