CARM is a major upgrade of infrastructure and operations throughout the Murrumbidgee River system. It includes:

• investment in new technology for better system wide control and monitoring
• infrastructure upgrades on anabranches and tributaries to improve flows and recover losses

CARM expects to free up around 80GL of currently unused water to the system to benefit irrigators, the environment and local communities.

CARM is a $65 million State Water Corporation project funded by the government-owned Water for Rivers initiative. Its water saving measures are expected to be fully in place by early 2013.

Investing in technology

Realising the benefits of CARM relies on connectivity, or the ability of the system’s components to ‘speak’ to each other.

CARM’s investment in technology includes:

• telemetry for the automatic transmission and measurement of data
• new ‘connected’ water meters
• telemetry enabled gauges for real time data

Find out more about the technology behind the project

Telemetry and metering

Telemetry provides remote measurement and reporting of information, in real time. Information is transmitted from water meters to a central point.

Knowing what is happening with water flows across the system at any point in time means more informed decision making for better managed, more efficient water flow and delivery.

Farming practice relies on good information about weather, soil and water. As well as system-wide benefits, telemetry opens the door to developments in on-farm technology for water management.

Infrastructure upgrades

CARM’s infrastructure improvements include:

• Old Man Creek – upgrading Beavers Creek weir
• Yanco Creek – reducing transmission losses and improving flow management
• Bundidgerry Creek – improving regulating structures and operations

Recovering unused water

On average each year, the Murrumbidgee River system:

• carries 4360GL of water flows
• loses 320GL of useable water to evaporation, seepage, the environment and unauthorised use

CARM has the potential to recover around 80GL of the current loss through upgraded infrastructure and operational processes. The largest volume of water savings will come from improved conveyance flow. Water savings will:

• supplement environmental flows in the Snowy River
• and remain in the system to improve water security for all water users