Water & Irrigation
Water management starts with understanding where water is being lost, where it can be retained and whether it is being applied at the right time and in the right quantity. Victorian wine businesses are increasingly focusing on the fundamentals of water use efficiency - improving soil health and water retention, reducing losses through infrastructure and irrigation systems, and using data to better match water applications to vine requirements. Building resilience isn't always about using more water. Often, it's about making better use of the water you already have.
The four principles of good water management
Good water management begins with understanding the fundamentals. Capture, Retain, Apply and Optimise provide a simple framework to help wine businesses make informed decisions about water use, resilience and long-term sustainability.
Improve soil, storage and water-holding capacity across your vineyard and winery operations.
Reduce water losses through better infrastructure, maintenance and practices.
Apply water efficiently by matching water use to business and production requirements.
Use data, monitoring and research to inform water management and decisions.
What's working in Victoria
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to water management. Victorian wine businesses are responding to their unique environments, challenges and opportunities in different ways. Explore practical examples from across the state to see what's working, learn from others and discover ideas that could be applied in your own business.
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Your store hasn’t published any blog posts yet. A blog can be used to talk about new product launches, tips, or other news you want to share with your customers.
Example post title
Your store hasn’t published any blog posts yet. A blog can be used to talk about new product launches, tips, or other news you want to share with your customers.
Example post title
Your store hasn’t published any blog posts yet. A blog can be used to talk about new product launches, tips, or other news you want to share with your customers.
Example post title
Your store hasn’t published any blog posts yet. A blog can be used to talk about new product launches, tips, or other news you want to share with your customers.
Example post title
Your store hasn’t published any blog posts yet. A blog can be used to talk about new product launches, tips, or other news you want to share with your customers.
Information & Insights
Explore the latest information and research to develop your own insights and make informed decisions for your wine business.
Frequently asked questions
- Composted grapemarc or commercial compost application (banded or spread)
- Soft pruning
- Native grasses under vine
- Grazing
- Soil moisture monitoring
- Ground covers & mulch
- Increased soil carbon
- Efficient pump filtration systems
- Infrastructure upgrades
- Cover crops
- Moisture probes for site-specific information
- Weather stations
- Waste water solutions
- Historical data and regional averages
- Real-time data tracking
Local rural water corporations, Agriculture Victoria and Catchment Management Authorities can help you understand water sources, entitlements and regional water availability.
Local rural water corporations, the Bureau of Meteorology and Agriculture Victoria provide information on water security, seasonal outlooks and long-term planning.
Wine Australia, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology provide practical tools and resources to support water planning and management.
Wine Australia and Victorian wine industry case studies can help identify opportunities to improve water use efficiency and resilience.
Agriculture Victoria, Wine Australia and industry suppliers can provide guidance on water infrastructure, storage and irrigation systems.
Agriculture Victoria, Catchment Management Authorities and local rural water corporations provide practical advice on water capture and storage solutions.
