This provides confidence that the projected benefits are likely to be exceeded in practice.
applied only to the Wimmera, as this is the area where greatest production benefits are available. based on conservative estimates of reduced losses. limited to urea spreading for wheat alone and not to barley or canola. These estimates of the potential benefits were conservative as they were: The WDA business case suggested annual benefits of $3.5 million. Two critical activities - urea spreading and herbicide spraying - are expected to significantly benefit from the enhanced weather forecast information. The enhanced weather forecast information from the radar has the potential to improve decision-making by farmers that will enhance yields and reduce wasted costs. community and social benefits through increased safety during extreme weather and emergency management incidents. providing short-term weather forecasting, enabling farm businesses to be more responsive to changing weather conditions. enabling farm businesses to better manage weather-related risks. improved farm business strategic decision-making especially around times of sowing, harvesting, chemical and fertiliser applications as well as the movement of stock. Weather is seen as the most important factor contributing to the success of the agricultural sector and farm businesses in the Wimmera Southern Mallee region.Įstablishing a weather radar to provide coverage across the Wimmera Southern Mallee has numerous benefits including: The site was also chosen to be easily accessible and to avoid airports and wind farms.Ī skyline survey was undertaken to ensure the absence of any obstacles that may interfere with the radar’s operation. To ensure optimal performance from the radar, the site needed to be unencumbered by elevated topography relative to the site, as well as structures such as silos and buildings and vegetation such as large trees. The site for the new radar, near the town of Rainbow (one hour north of Horsham), was chosen after an extensive and detailed BoM process to identify a location that would best serve both the Wimmera region and the wider Australian weather radar network. Building the radar Why Rainbow was selected as the radar site In response to the business case, the Victorian Government contributed $5 million from its Agriculture Infrastructure and Jobs Fund for the construction and commissioning of a Doppler weather radar, while the Federal Government committed $4.3 million for the radar’s maintenance and operating costs for up to 15 years. It concluded that improved real-time weather services would show significant benefits to the region’s agribusinesses. #Big weather radar driver#
The Rainbow Radar is now providing the region with real-time access to critical information about approaching weather.ĭata available through the radar, and the accurate rainfall estimates and forecasts, helps growers to make informed choices about harvesting, tillage and the use of chemicals and fertilisers.Ī March 2016 business case to address the service gap in the Wimmera Southern Mallee region of Victoria (prepared by the Wimmera Development Association with funding from the Victorian Government), identified agriculture as a key economic driver of the region and the largest industry sector in terms of employment, expenditure, gross revenue and regional exports.
The new radar has filled a gap in the country’s weather radar network and is enabling farmers in the Wimmera Southern Mallee to make better, more time-critical farming decisions. The C‐band 1‐degree dual polarisation Doppler radar delivers real-time weather information, including short-term rainfall forecasts, providing significant benefits to farmers. The new radar is located on private farmland near Rainbow, 340 kilometres north west of Melbourne. A new radar for the Wimmera and Southern MalleeĪgriculture Victoria, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Wimmera Development Association (WDA) and other key community partners have been working together to establish a weather radar for the Wimmera Southern Mallee region.
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