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Winter shutdown enables Macalister irrigation upgrades, improving infrastructure, automation, reliability and water delivery efficiencyWinter irrigation shutdown enables major upgrades across Macalister Irrigation District, improving infrastructure, automation, reliability and long-term water delivery efficiency for farms and communities. By news@gippsland - 9th June 2026 - Back to News Every winter, when irrigation water deliveries pause, a different kind of work begins across our irrigation districts. It involves upgrading ageing infrastructure, replacing critical assets and carrying out maintenance that can't be done during the irrigation season. This short window each year allows us to strengthen the network and keep water flowing reliably to farms, businesses and communities throughout the irrigation season. 
Macalister Irrigation District completes final outlet upgrades, replacing Dethridge wheels with automated Slip Meters, improving accuracy, efficiency, access and real-time water management services Irrigation network upgradesThis year's program includes major upgrades and maintenance across our irrigation networks, spanning customer outlets, regulator and gate replacements, pipeline renewals, tunnel and flume improvements, channel maintenance and other critical infrastructure works. Completing these works during the winter shutdown allows us to safely upgrade and maintain the network while minimising interruptions to customer water deliveries. This winter marks a major milestone in the Macalister Irrigation District (MID) modernisation program. We will complete the final 11 customer outlet upgrades, replacing remaining Dethridge wheel outlets with modern automated Slip Meters, with one pumped site receiving a magnetic flow meter. Automating outlets means customers can order water at any time and, assuming capacity within the system, outlets can operate automatically, seven days a week. The upgrades also improve measurement accuracy and enable water allocations and compliance decisions to be made in real time, helping us deliver more efficient services. Modernisation program advancesMost upgrades involve modifying existing concrete structures to install the new Slip Meters. Where structures are in poor condition, the entire outlet will be replaced. Access to some properties may be required, and we will work closely with landholders to minimise disruption. This project completes the final works funded under Phase 2 of the MID modernisation program, which began in 2020 and has delivered $62.6 million of investment across the district. We are also continuing our multi-year regulator replacement program along the Main Northern Channel. This winter, we will complete seven full regulator upgrades and 32 pedestal upgrades - year two of a three-year investment program valued at more than $6 million. Regulators play a critical role in maintaining water pool levels and managing consistent flows throughout the network. System reliability upgradesFollowing successful downstream works completed in 2025, we are continuing upgrades to Tunnel 5 on the Main Southern Channel, with this year's works focusing on replacing approximately 200 metres of pipeline upstream of the tunnel. Tunnel 5 is a critical asset downstream of Lake Glenmaggie. Environmental protections will remain in place during construction, including measures to minimise disturbance to a bat colony in the adjacent Tunnel 6. Additional works in the Macalister Irrigation District include targeted joint sealing and concrete remediation on sections of the Main Southern Concrete Flume, routine maintenance painting of spillway gates at Lake Glenmaggie, and channel clearing across approximately 40 kilometres to control submerged weeds. We will also carry out improvements to access tracks, repairs to concrete pipes and headwalls, erosion control works and walkway upgrades on key assets. Pictures from Southern Rural Water website.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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