Development of Soil and Water Property Planning Modules

The Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board (TIDB) in partnership with the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA), are seeking a consultancy team to develop soil and water property management planning modules. The modules are to be developed within the Tasmanian Property Management Systems Framework to address land and water sustainability issues within the Tasmanian farming landscape. The modules must provide information that when combined with the biodiversity module, provide a sustainable irrigation strategy for those farming enterprises wishing to access a new water allocation through any of the TIDB's irrigation developments. The proposed modules must include as a minimum: approches to efficient water delivery and use on the property; intended production options matched to soil and land suitability; approaches to mitigation of environmental impacts of the development on features such as biodiversity, downstream water quality, soil health (including salinity), subsurface drainage and waterlogging, pollution and nutrient run off, riparian and in stream ecosystems and catchment hydrology; approaches to ongoing monitoring, evaluation and reporting of natural resource condition that verifies sustainability of the development over time. Project commencement is expected by Mid June 2009 and is to be completed by 20 September 2009.