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 irrigation distribution systems might be relevant to this standard?
Micro-irrigation systems may include drip, mains pressure, low pressure, below surface, above surface, emitter trickle, t-tape, and mini-sprinklers, capillary, ebb and flow, and flood systems.
Spray irrigation systems may 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.
Surface irrigation systems may include border check, contour irrigation, furrow irrigation, hillside flooding, and 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.
Systems may range from manual operation and monitoring to fully automated with computer control and monitoring.

What may be included in the maintenance program?
Maintenance program may include site activities, hardware, quality collection and treatment.

What might be included in guidance for maintenance activities?
This may include design plans and specifications, mechanical specifications, site specifications and OHS considerations.

How might timing and frequency of maintenance activities be scheduled?
This may be daily, weekly, monthly, pre-season, during season and post-seasonally.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this unit?
Consideration should be given at the design stage to the health and safety of workers who will be involved in activities associated with the monitoring and maintenance of irrigation systems in respect to machinery and equipment operation and chemical use.

What might be included in a monitoring program?
Monitoring program may include computer or manual logbooks, operators and operational manuals, maintenance scheduling logbooks, irrigation schedule, systematic testing procedures, and manufacturers specifications.

Where might data be recorded?
Data may be documented in enterprise records and reports, irrigation records, crop production records, maintenance records, climatic and financial records.

What factors might affect scheduling?
Factors may include evapotranspiration data for stages of the crop, weather conditions, soil types, new technologies, storage capacity and treatment lag times, and information from relevant regulatory authorities.

What irrigation distribution systems might be relevant to this standard?
Micro-irrigation systems may include drip, mains pressure, low pressure, below surface, above surface, emitter trickle, t-tape, and mini-sprinklers, capillary, ebb and flow, and flood systems.
Spray irrigation systems may 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.
Surface irrigation systems may include border check, contour irrigation, furrow irrigation, hillside flooding, and 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.
Systems may range from manual operation and monitoring to fully automated with computer control and monitoring.

What may be included in the maintenance program?
Maintenance program may include site activities, hardware, quality collection and treatment.

What might be included in guidance for maintenance activities?
This may include design plans and specifications, mechanical specifications, site specifications and OHS considerations.

How might timing and frequency of maintenance activities be scheduled?
This may be daily, weekly, monthly, pre-season, during season and post-seasonally.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this unit?
Consideration should be given at the design stage to the health and safety of workers who will be involved in activities associated with the monitoring and maintenance of irrigation systems in respect to machinery and equipment operation and chemical use.

What might be included in a monitoring program?
Monitoring program may include computer or manual logbooks, operators and operational manuals, maintenance scheduling logbooks, irrigation schedule, systematic testing procedures, and manufacturers specifications.

Where might data be recorded?
Data may be documented in enterprise records and reports, irrigation records, crop production records, maintenance records, climatic and financial records.

What factors might affect scheduling?
Factors may include evapotranspiration data for stages of the crop, weather conditions, soil types, new technologies, storage capacity and treatment lag times, and information from relevant regulatory authorities.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in designing irrigation system maintenance and monitoring programs requires evidence that a person can determine irrigation system maintenance requirements and resources, design a system maintenance program and procedures for monitoring, and recording system performance, water use and operating costs. The skills and knowledge required to design irrigation system maintenance and monitoring programs must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, if a monitoring and maintenance program is designed for a fully automated pressurised irrigation system in a location with particular water requirements, it should be evident that a monitoring and maintenance program could be designed for a manually operated gravity fed irrigation system in a different location with different water requirements.
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:

maintenance and monitoring design requirements
irrigation, drainage and water treatment maintenance activities
water supply authority constraints
water quality guidelines for fresh and marine water (e.g. ANZECC 1999)
environmental impacts of irrigation, drainage and water treatment using water from any ground or underground source
OHS and environmental requirements of monitoring and maintenance programs.

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:

analyse and organise information
identify and schedule activities
design scheduling and recording procedures
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation, drainage and water treatment activities and appropriate remedial action
develop and include relevant enterprise OHS and environmental 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:

maintenance and monitoring design requirements
irrigation, drainage and water treatment maintenance activities
water supply authority constraints
water quality guidelines for fresh and marine water (e.g. ANZECC 1999)
environmental impacts of irrigation, drainage and water treatment using water from any ground or underground source
OHS and environmental requirements of monitoring and maintenance programs.

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:

analyse and organise information
identify and schedule activities
design scheduling and recording procedures
identify adverse environmental impacts of irrigation, drainage and water treatment activities and appropriate remedial action
develop and include relevant enterprise OHS and environmental 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
Recording monitoring and scheduling information. (3)

Communicating ideas and information
Recording monitoring and scheduling information. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Determining requirements for system maintenance program. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Determining requirements for system maintenance program. (3)

Planning and organising activities
Scheduling timing and frequency of maintenance activities. (3)

Planning and organising activities
Scheduling timing and frequency of maintenance activities. (3)

Working with others and in teams
Determining labour requirements for each maintenance activity. (3)

Working with others and in teams
Determining labour requirements for each maintenance activity. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Monitoring operating costs and water use. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Monitoring operating costs and water use. (3)

Solving problems
Developing contingency plans in the event of water restrictions. (3)

Solving problems
Developing contingency plans in the event of water restrictions. (3)

Using technology
Recording system hardware performance. (3)

Using technology
Recording system hardware performance. (3)