Purpose

To gauge the suitability of water used on-fram for its intended purpose and to ensure that any water leaving the farm will not be of a quality that negatively effects off-farm water resources, the environment and other water users.

Components that may be affected:     Biodiversity conservation; Cultural (non-material) services; Soil nitrogen;

                                                            Soil phosphorus; Soil acidity and Soil salinity. 

Indicator

Percentage of farmers monitoring water quality on their property.

Results

The 2001-02 Resource Management Survey, carried out by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), estimated that the operators of 34 per cent of broadacre and dairy industry farms in the wheat/sheep zone considered poor water quality a significant problem. An estimated 91 per cent found that poor water quality impacted on management, production, returns or costs, while 85 per cent made changes in 2001-02 in their land management practices due to poor water quality. 14 per cent of the farms showed signs of poor water quality (ABARE 2002). The survey is carried out intermittently and may be repeated in the future (Nelson et al. 2004). Additional survey data from research and development corporations and grower groups may be available.

Table 1: Estimated percentage of farms aware/taking measures to combat degradation problems

^{Source- ABARE 2001-02 Resource Management Survey.} 

^{Note: RSE = Relative standard error; Population (farms) = 38502,  Sample (farms) = 579}

more

VARIABLE	DESCRIPTION
Population	Estimated number of broadacre and dairy industry farms in the selected category with an EVAO greater than $22 500.
Sample	Number of broadacre and dairy industry farms that responded to questions in the 2001-02 Resource Management supplementary in the selected category.
Significant problem - poor water quality	Was poor water quality a significant problem during 2001-02?
Impacted on business - poor water quality	Poor water quality impacted on management, production, returns or costs
Made changes - poor water quality	Changed land management practices on farm because of poor water quality
Signs of - poor water quality	Any signs of poor water quality on farm during 2001-02?

References