Drought group member defends Campaspe irrigation
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A member of the Campaspe drought committee has dismissed calls to end irrigation farming in parts of northern Victoria.
Environment Victoria says the Campaspe and Broken River systems cannot sustain viable food production, and water from those areas should be kept in the river, or diverted for better use.
The call came after the State Government released a 50-year water strategy to help cope with a predicted drop in water supplies in the area.
The drought committee's Neil Repacholi says soil type and irrigation infrastructure are major considerations for farming, and both exist in the Campaspe system.
"Some of the best soil types within the Shire of Campaspe are located in that system and you might look at alternate irrigation systems and encourage efficient use of water through different methods, other than flood irrigation," he said.
"There's already been a trend towards spray and drip irrigation."
