Pilbara irrigation research studies
Woodie Woodie pilot research site technical report
The Woodie Woodie Pilot Project originated as a feasibility and research project for the establishment of irrigated agriculture utilising mine dewater in the semi-arid Pilbara. The pilot site was established on Warrawagine Station during 2014 and ran through until 2016. Water from the site was captured from the stream flow of mine dewater surplus discharged from the nearby Woodie Woodie mine.
The site was used to appraise a number for crop and forage species. The experimental irrigation site was challenged with the irregular water supply associated with mining activity, highlighting the risk of using a sole MDS supply. This issue flagged the need to factor in an ability to buffer MDS supplies with above or below ground storage, a backup source or multiple MDS sources to mitigate the risk of a low water supply event.
Technical reports on the development approvals and costs and field crop research findings are available upon request.
