Irrigation water can come from nearby rivers or groundwater. It can also come from storage ponds made to collect high river flows or rainfall during winter. Pipes, channels and wells take water from its source to farms, vineyards and orchards. How much water is used depends on the type of crop, the soil in which the crop is being grown, and the amount of rainfall in that area.
Why is irrigation important?
Feeding the world uses a lot of water. Farmers need water to produce many of our daily food items. In some areas of New Zealand, the land doesn’t get enough summer rainfall. These places need irrigation to produce high-quality food.
Sometimes farmers need irrigation because of a very dry season (a drought). It could also be to make sure some food crops have the right amount of water during an important growth stage.
