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Irrigation recharge

Created 16/10/2025

Updated 16/10/2025

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Available data about recharge from irrigation areas in the Mallee and Riverine Plains zones of the Murray-Darling Basin are reviewed. The need for clear understanding of how data have been obtained and care in their use, and the need to clearly identify the aquifer which is being recharged and to specify appropriate time and space scales are emphasised. The usefulness of the data for numerical modelling is discussed. Available data are considered adequate for establishing regional priorities for action to reduce recharge. However, site-specific data are required for design of projects at the local or sub-regional scale. Monitoring of system performance during and after implementation is necessary to verify the accuracy of data used. Options available for recharge reduction are discussed. Recharge rates in the Mallee zone are very high, and significant reductions can readily be achieved. Many irrigated areas in the Mallee zone are already tile drained, so the main benefits of recharge reduction will be lower regional water tables and reduced groundwater discharge to the River Murray. Recharge rates in the Riverine Plains zone are generally much lower, although some areas of high recharge do occur. Options for recharge reduction are identified for use in appropriate circumstances, but it is considered that residual recharge rates are likely to exceed the safe discharge capacity of the underlying acquifers. Subsurface drainage of the more intensively irrigated areas will be required (as in the Mallee zone), to avoid significant losses of production and land degradation.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Irrigation recharge
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/en/dataset/946df4fc-1426-400d-9ccc-69db8133f236
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        139.07,
        -37.74
      ],
      [
        148.06,
        -37.74
      ],
      [
        148.06,
        -32.62
      ],
      [
        139.07,
        -32.62
      ],
      [
        139.07,
        -37.74
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Irrigation recharge". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/irrigation-recharge