Ord River Irrigation Area - Potential for a sugar cane industry in Western Australia

Authors

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

Publication Date

1981

Publisher

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

City

Perth

Abstract

The Ord River Irrigation Area is in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, 3,200 kms from Perth, the State’s Capital City.

The area is located in the arid tropics with a climate suitable for high plant growth rates provided water supply is adequate.

With only 12,000 ha of land developed out of a potential 72,000 ha of clay soils the area has the potential for further development of a major irrigated agricultural enterprise.

The Ord River Irrigation Project has been developed for commercial agriculture following the construction of a diversion dam in 1963, and a major dam in 1974, The major dam, with a water storage of 5,674 x 106 cubic metres, can supply sufficient water to irrigate 72,000 ha of prime clay soil and has additional capacity to irrigate a smaller area of less fertile sandy soil. To date only 12,000 ha of the clay soil have been developed for farming.

Number of Pages

23

Keywords

Ord River Irrigation Area, Sugar cane, Western Australia

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agriculture | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Marketing | Plant Biology

Comments

An Information paper.

Recommended Citation

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. (1981), Ord River Irrigation Area - Potential for a sugar cane industry in Western Australia. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Perth. Report.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fse_publishedrpts/23

Maps

Maps are not included as part of the complete document download. If this report contains a map, it will be available in the individual parts list below.