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Story: Water quality

Field irrigation

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Field irrigation

Plants usually need to be watered in summer and autumn. Irrigation water may be taken from underground or from rivers, for use on crops or pasture, or on recreation areas such as sports fields or golf courses. This large pivot irrigation unit is on a Canterbury dairy farm.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Jock Phillips

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How to cite this page

Mike Scarsbrook and Kit Rutherford, Water quality – Water quality in New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15512/field-irrigation (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Mike Scarsbrook and Kit Rutherford, published 1 March 2009, updated 18 July 2016.