Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What measurements might be recorded?
These may include pressures, flow rates, distribution uniformity, depth of irrigation and soil moisture at root zone.
Water quality measures include salinity and electro conductivity, pH, sodicity, chloride, calcium carbonate, iron, turbidity, nutrients and pesticides.

What measuring equipment might be used?
This may include tensiometers, neutron tubes, flow meter, catch cans, pressure gauge.
Soil moisture measuring devices may include subjective measurement, gypsum blocks, tensiometers, enviroscan, neutron probe and TDR (time domain reflectometer).

What irrigation systems might be relevant to this standard?
These may be pressurised irrigation systems such as micro-irrigation, spray irrigation or gravity fed irrigation systems.
Micro-irrigation systems include mains pressure, low pressure, below or above ground, sprays systems, drip emitter trickle, t-tape, mini-sprinklers, capillary, ebb and flow and flood systems.
Spray irrigation systems include travelling irrigators (soft hose, hard hose boom type) centre pivot, linear move, powered side roll hand shift permanent (installed), and bike shift/easy shift.
Gravity fed irrigation systems include border check, contour irrigation, furrow irrigation, hillside flooding, basin irrigation. Border check systems may be either permanent or temporary earth, plastic or concrete devices for insertion in a drain for reticulating water, contour banks used to collect and distribute water along the perimeter of an irrigation plot, contour banks within a plot to collect/distribute water or larger scale systems to stop water exiting one area to another.
Irrigation systems may range from manual operation and monitoring to fully automated with computer control and monitoring.

What OHS requirements might be relevant to this standard?
OHS requirements may include safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise, protection against chemical residues, including that in/on foliage, water, soil and other items and the selection, use and maintenance of relevant personal protective clothing and equipment.

What procedures might be specified by the enterprise?
Some examples may be procedures for recording pressure variations, recording distribution uniformity, recording flow variations, recording leaks, recording outside interference, recording system efficiencies, water table level, soil salinity and recording pump run hours.

What factors external to the system may cause interference?
These may include pests and vermin (tortoises, yabbies, ants, spiders, snails, rabbits, hares, foxes, wasps, rose weevil, earwigs, snakes, carp, pigs, wallabies, eels, rats, mice, kangaroos, dogs, cats, parrots), organic (leaves, slime, weeds, algae, sticks, crop residue), weather, channel regulators (if applicable), fire, mechanical damage (if applicable), power spikes, power failures, storm run off and system breakage.

What irrigation system parts may be relevant to this standard?
These will vary according to brand and supplier and may include injectors, pumps, and tensiometers, probe tubes, flow meter, computer and/or other scheduling devices, recycling equipment and spray equipment.

How might information be recorded?
This may be recorded manually in a logbook or using graphs and charts on paper and/or electronically on computer.

What factors contribute to system performance?
These may include drainage, soil moisture, water table levels, soil salinity, rainfall, air temperature, frost risk, water quality, plant/crop and soil nutrient deficiencies and irrigation system maintenance requirements.

What variations may occur?
This may include pressure variation between emitters at different distances from supply, within a valve (plus or minus 10%), and discharge variation within a valve (plus or minus 5%).

What values might be calculated?
In addition to mean application rate (MAR) and distribution uniformity (DU), these include pressure variations, and flow variations.

What measurements might be recorded?
These may include pressures, flow rates, distribution uniformity, depth of irrigation and soil moisture at root zone.
Water quality measures include salinity and electro conductivity, pH, sodicity, chloride, calcium carbonate, iron, turbidity, nutrients and pesticides.

What measuring equipment might be used?
This may include tensiometers, neutron tubes, flow meter, catch cans, pressure gauge.
Soil moisture measuring devices may include subjective measurement, gypsum blocks, tensiometers, enviroscan, neutron probe and TDR (time domain reflectometer).

What irrigation systems might be relevant to this standard?
These may be pressurised irrigation systems such as micro-irrigation, spray irrigation or gravity fed irrigation systems.
Micro-irrigation systems include mains pressure, low pressure, below or above ground, sprays systems, drip emitter trickle, t-tape, mini-sprinklers, capillary, ebb and flow and flood systems.
Spray irrigation systems include travelling irrigators (soft hose, hard hose boom type) centre pivot, linear move, powered side roll hand shift permanent (installed), and bike shift/easy shift.
Gravity fed irrigation systems include border check, contour irrigation, furrow irrigation, hillside flooding, basin irrigation. Border check systems may be either permanent or temporary earth, plastic or concrete devices for insertion in a drain for reticulating water, contour banks used to collect and distribute water along the perimeter of an irrigation plot, contour banks within a plot to collect/distribute water or larger scale systems to stop water exiting one area to another.
Irrigation systems may range from manual operation and monitoring to fully automated with computer control and monitoring.

What OHS requirements might be relevant to this standard?
OHS requirements may include safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise, protection against chemical residues, including that in/on foliage, water, soil and other items and the selection, use and maintenance of relevant personal protective clothing and equipment.

What procedures might be specified by the enterprise?
Some examples may be procedures for recording pressure variations, recording distribution uniformity, recording flow variations, recording leaks, recording outside interference, recording system efficiencies, water table level, soil salinity and recording pump run hours.

What factors external to the system may cause interference?
These may include pests and vermin (tortoises, yabbies, ants, spiders, snails, rabbits, hares, foxes, wasps, rose weevil, earwigs, snakes, carp, pigs, wallabies, eels, rats, mice, kangaroos, dogs, cats, parrots), organic (leaves, slime, weeds, algae, sticks, crop residue), weather, channel regulators (if applicable), fire, mechanical damage (if applicable), power spikes, power failures, storm run off and system breakage.

What irrigation system parts may be relevant to this standard?
These will vary according to brand and supplier and may include injectors, pumps, and tensiometers, probe tubes, flow meter, computer and/or other scheduling devices, recycling equipment and spray equipment.

How might information be recorded?
This may be recorded manually in a logbook or using graphs and charts on paper and/or electronically on computer.

What factors contribute to system performance?
These may include drainage, soil moisture, water table levels, soil salinity, rainfall, air temperature, frost risk, water quality, plant/crop and soil nutrient deficiencies and irrigation system maintenance requirements.

What variations may occur?
This may include pressure variation between emitters at different distances from supply, within a valve (plus or minus 10%), and discharge variation within a valve (plus or minus 5%).

What values might be calculated?
In addition to mean application rate (MAR) and distribution uniformity (DU), these include pressure variations, and flow variations.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in measuring irrigation delivery system performance requires evidence that a person can measure pressures, flows and distribution uniformity of an irrigation system.
The skills and knowledge required to measure irrigation delivery system performance must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, this could include different irrigation systems, measuring equipment, plant/crop types and enterprise procedures.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

OHS guidelines
soil water retention testing techniques
measuring and monitoring procedures for factors contributing to irrigation system delivery
water authority standards and procedures
environmental impacts of irrigation, using water from any ground or underground source
enterprise policies and procedures.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

access and prepare data records for both print-based and computer-based data
use computers for recording and reporting data
record and report system performance
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation activities and appropriate remedial action
calculate pressure differentials, flow rates, crop yields, estimated water usage/actual water usage
apply measuring and testing techniques
implement and follow relevant enterprise OHS and environmental policies and procedures.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

OHS guidelines
soil water retention testing techniques
measuring and monitoring procedures for factors contributing to irrigation system delivery
water authority standards and procedures
environmental impacts of irrigation, using water from any ground or underground source
enterprise policies and procedures.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

access and prepare data records for both print-based and computer-based data
use computers for recording and reporting data
record and report system performance
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation activities and appropriate remedial action
calculate pressure differentials, flow rates, crop yields, estimated water usage/actual water usage
apply measuring and testing techniques
implement and follow relevant enterprise OHS and environmental policies and procedures.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Reporting system performance status. (2)

Communicating ideas and information
Reporting system performance status. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Collecting and recording irrigation system performance data. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Collecting and recording irrigation system performance data. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Organising supply of equipment and spare parts. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Organising supply of equipment and spare parts. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Ensuring supply of spare parts meets demand. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Ensuring supply of spare parts meets demand. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Manipulating data and calculating variations and compound measures. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Manipulating data and calculating variations and compound measures. (2)

Solving problems
Identifying deviations in system performance. (2)

Solving problems
Identifying deviations in system performance. (2)

Using technology
Using measuring instruments and computers for recording data. (2)

Using technology
Using measuring instruments and computers for recording data. (2)