Chau, Henry2020-08-102017-01-03https://hdl.handle.net/10182/12391Globally, agriculture accounts for the largest fresh water withdraw compared to industry and the domestic sectors. Growing competition for limited water, land resources and challenges to conserve these resources are a major concern. Inefficient irrigation management often results in under or over irrigation. Under-irrigation creates water stress for crops, and in turn has the potential to reduce yield. Over-irrigation wastes water through surface runoff, deep percolation and increases the risk for nutrient contamination of ground and surface water. Within New Zealand, the Canterbury region is the largest fresh water user accounting for more than half of the country’s total allocated water. Irrigated dairy pastures account for around 75% of the total irrigated area within Canterbury, and the region is facing ever increasing pressure to conserve water and protect the environment. These challenges are further excerbated when irrigation is applied on a stony soil. These soils are well-drained with high drought vulnerability and potential high susceptibility to rapid leaching of water and nutrients. A total of 1.68 million hectares of stony soils in New Zealand occur on land of <15° slope, and therefore these soil have the potential for intensive land use. Of the 302,000 ha of irrigated land in Canterbury, 196,000 ha occurs on stony soils. Improved management of water and soils are needed to alleviate the inefficent use of irrigation and manage the risk of contamination under these conditions. Two studies will be presented related to water management under a stony soil and improving irrigation efficiency under a rotational grazed pasture through irrigation scheduling.irrigationstony soilsOral Presentation