Preparing for a hot, dry Canterbury summer

During an El Niño weather pattern, New Zealand generally experiences stronger or more frequent winds from the south-west in spring and west in summer. This weather pattern can also bring increased risks of drought and water scarcity, wildfire, heat-related human and animal health concerns, along with flooding. So it’s important to have a plan and to be prepared.

Set dates for key decisions depending on financial, climate, soil moisture, and feed conditions. Discuss your plan with trusted advisers and keep it up-to-date. Make decisions early and act. 

Monitor seasonal forecasts, and extreme weather and fire warnings. Check out NIWA's resources online, including the drought forecasting dashboard.

Growers should adapt irrigation strategies based on forecast climatic conditions and irrigate their most profitable blocks first.

Careful irrigation planning will be key. Plan for irrigation restrictions, keep water reserves, including for firefighting. If you have any questions or concerns act early and get in touch with your industry group. 

If you’re in a fire-prone area, make sure you have a plan for keeping yourself, your family and staff, and your stock safe in case of a blaze. Keep up to date with your local fire restrictions

Know your soil moisture before irrigating

NIWA publishes daily soil moisture deficit maps on its website, which give an overview of how dry the ground is in your region, but soil moisture probes are the best way to measure exactly when your paddocks need to have water applied.

Remember to keep an eye on the weather forecast before programming irrigation – if rain is coming, factor that in. Check the irrigation restrictions first to see if you have water available.

Efficient irrigation is key

Putting the right amount of water on crops and pasture – within the paddock boundary – at the right time is the cheapest and most efficient way to utilise irrigation water.

Check your irrigator is programmed correctly, especially after it has lost power. Programs could have reset and may not cover paddocks accurately after a power cut.

When it’s blowing, you need to account for wind drift. In a strong nor’wester, make sure your irrigator’s end gun range stops well short of the eastern edge of the paddock you want to irrigate, especially if it’s near your property boundary or a road. Spray on roads can be dangerous for vehicles and degrade the road surface, making it more likely that potholes will form.