GMW irrigators block goFARM’s bid to carry groundwater in channels

GMW irrigators have knocked back goFARM’s bid to put groundwater into the channel system. See why, and what was planned.

In a Victorian first, rural land developers goFARM have tried to broker a deal with the state’s largest irrigation corporation to put groundwater into the channel system for delivery to its other properties.

The Weekly Times understands goFARM Australia recently entered negotiations with Goulburn Murray Water to pump some of its Katunga Deep Lead groundwater into the channel system to be transported to its other properties.

The nation’s fruit and vegie king, Robert Costa and his goFARM agribusiness partner Liam Lenaghan are using the water to irrigate parts of what they call “a 4000ha horticultural footprint” across 6500ha of Katunga dairy farming country they bought in 2019.

While goFARM has refused to discuss its work, the firm’s website states “large-scale almond and citrus developments are underway at the property”.

How much groundwater goFARM owns is not made public, but its 2019 prospectus to investors stated the deal would give them “access to high-yielding, cheap groundwater” and “we believe it is possible to own half of the (60,000 megalitres) aquifer, if not more”.

But it appears GMW irrigators have brought goFARM’s plans to an abrupt halt, with water service committees arguing putting groundwater into channels posed contamination risks and would be complex to manage.

Rochester-Campaspe WSC chairman Richard Anderson, who uses both surface and groundwater, said “we knocked it back, because it sets a dangerous precedent” and questioned how the tariff was set to ensure they shared the cost of maintaining the channel network.

“What if there was contamination with bore water going into the channel (affecting) others who take stock and domestic out of it.”

But Mr Anderson said he had no problem with using surplus surface water during wet years to recharge aquifers, but not putting groundwater in channels, and had even tried to get GMW to back a pilot project to see if it was possible.

Select Harvests managing director Paul Thompson said moving water between surface and groundwater systems was already practised in the US by Californian irrigators. Mr Thompson said irrigators in wetter Chico region of California could agree to take less water in summer and strike deals to store it in ­Bakersfield irrigators’ aquifers and then substitute it later in the season.

Within Australia, Queensland’s Lower Burdekin Water Authority has been pumping water from the river into ­artificially constructed soakage pits for the past 40 years, where it percolates down into the aquifer to boost supplies.