FARMERS in south-west Victoria are encouraged to continue planning for a water shortage over the next few months.

Agriculture Victoria is running a series of breakfast sessions to discuss rainfall and runoff, farm dam volume calculations and management strategies.

Agriculture Victoria’s Livestock Industry development officer, Dr Hannah Manning said runoff into farm dams occurs when soils are fully saturated, usually during winter-spring, or during high intensity rainfall or thunderstorm events.

“Runoff into farm dams is now becoming less likely this spring, as temperatures increase, and crops and pastures use up the available soil moisture,” she said.

“It’s important that farmers assess their on-farm water supplies for the coming months, particularly for livestock.

“It’s possible that water could become the limiting factor that might trigger the need to reduce stock numbers or place stock into containment areas.”

Agriculture Victoria is running a series of farm dam breakfast discussion sessions across south-west Victoria during early October, to assist farmers in calculating how much water is left in their farm dams, how long the water will last and how many stock can be carried over summer and autumn.

The workshops are being held at:

- Nangeela on October 8

- Nareen on October 9

- Karabeal on October 10

To register visit the Agriculture Victoria website or contact Hannah Manning at hannah.manning@agriculture.vic.gov.au