Water Availability and Irrigation Planning

In 2018, Grace GIS completed detailed water availability and irrigation planning analysis for the Hughenden Irrigation Project Corporation (HIPCo) as part of the Flinders River Irrigation Project (Stage 2). Using inflow, evaporation, and consumption data, we estimated yearly water yield at each proposed dam site to determine the reliability and sustainability of future irrigation supply. These calculations provided clear insights into water balance dynamics under varying climatic conditions.

To support decision-making, we developed comparative graphs illustrating consumption versus available water, highlighting periods of potential shortage and identifying the conditions under which irrigation demand may exceed supply. This enabled stakeholders to better understand risk, reliability, and the operational limits of each storage option.

Grace GIS also mapped the gravity-fed irrigation extents for downstream areas of the Alstonvale and The Gap dam sites, identifying zones that could be serviced without pumping infrastructure. These spatial products helped quantify viable irrigation areas, optimise scheme design, and evaluate agricultural expansion potential.

Together, these analyses offered HIPCo a comprehensive, data-driven foundation for assessing irrigation viability, infrastructure requirements, and long-term water resource planning for northern Queensland’s developing agricultural regions.