balance

Powerful Choices: transition to a biofuel economy in Australia

The Powerful Choices study uses a biophysical-economics model of the Australian economy to explore the capability of discrete low-carbon technologies to maintain economic growth, ensure energy security and reduce CO2 emissions out to 2051. The approach applies physical laws of thermodynamics and mass balance to established economic structures to ensure that financial dynamics are constrained by physical reality. Renewable electricity (bio-electricity, wind, solar thermal and (more)...

How much water does a woodland or plantation use: a review of some measurement methods

Determining the water balance of a landscape is important to sustainable management of water, vegetation and land resources. Water flow through vegetation is the principle pathway for the discharge of water from Australian landscapes. The rate of this discharge is determined by solar radiation, leaf area index, vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture content. Tree transpiration from plantations and native woodlands and forests is an important determinant of the water balance of much of the (more)...

Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland

Improving water use efficiency by reducing groundwater recharge under irrigated pastures

Approximately 65% of water extracted for irrigation in Northern Victoria and over 30% in the NSW Murray Valley is applied to pastures. In 1996, Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) introduced a Total Farm Water Balance Policy which aimed to limit farm water use to sustainable levels and hence to reduce groundwater recharge to the district watertable. The dairy industry had some concerns with the original limit of 4 Ml per hectare and initiated discussions (more)...

Waterwheel Newsletter 13

National workshop to initiate establishment of national standards for irrigated crop water balance and ETc field methodologies

A national workshop was convened by National Program for Irrigation Research and Development (NPIRD) to establish the need for national standards for irrigated crop water balance and crop evapotranspiration (ETc1) field methodologies. The workshop was attended by representatives of relevant state agencies and federal organisations. Participants all had a sound understanding of the use of ET in their organization at a technical level and were also able (more)...