Water is life – and is most apparent in all business industries, particularly in the agriculture sector. As an essential resource for all living things, water is a key factor in the growth and development of farm stock and crops.  

Adequate water supply is necessary to achieve success in farming. Aside from investing in the proper farming tools and equipment, for instance, a tractor or an all terrain vehicle, spending for water sources improvement is an equally worthwhile outlay. 

Consider the following tips for enjoying the boundless benefits of increasing your farm's water sources:  

1. Make an inventory of your farm water balance  

If you haven't done this yet, do it as soon as possible to know if the water source can supply your farm's overall needs. In this stage, you'd have to determine your farm's water requirement and how much water is available on the farm to come up with a balance between the supply and the demand.     

But it's not all figures. An analysis of your water distribution channels and weather (especially rainfall) patterns must likewise be made in order to determine potential water storage methods.   

Use a farm water calculator to help you out.  

2. Tap the ground for water  

Study your farm's grounds and determine whether you can extract water from them. Ground testing is imperative and you need professionals to do the work for you. Bore water should be initially tested and regularly assessed to avoid the risk of contaminants seeping into the groundwater, potentially damaging your stock and crops. On that note, make sure that any aged drill pipe for oil and gas is checked and replaced as necessary to avoid harmful seepage.   

Before attempting to drill a hole on the ground, go and visit the proper agency to get the required permits and licenses first. This may be costly but if you've got a vast farm area with grounds that can provide a high volume of groundwater, consider having it done.           

3. Consider building a dam 

As an open water source, a private dam can be a good way to supplement the water sources in your farm. It's an ideal source for irrigation, drinking, as well as bathing water for your stock.  

However, they may be costly to build and maintain. Like generating bore water, building a private dam may require you to get licenses and permits, too.   

The thing about dams is that they can run dry during the summer. As such, you'd still need a water storage facility to complement your sources when there's not enough water in the dam.    

Water dams are also easily contaminated by mud and dirt, as well as pesticides.   

4. Collect rainwater 

Harvesting rainwater from your roof is one of the easiest, fastest and cheapest ways to augment your stock's (and crops') water source. Depending on the frequency and average volume of rainfall in your farm, rainwater collected from a roof area is sometimes enough to address the needs of your farm.  

5. Redirect water from natural sources   

Another good way to augment your water source is to install pipes to redirect water from natural sources such as rivers, creeks, and streams to an intermediate storage such as a trough. You may want to purchase high-quality troughs by clicking this link:  https://www.watertankfactory.com.au/water-tanks/circular-stock-troughs/ 

In some cases, installing pipes to let the water run around strategic areas in the farm can support better grazing options for your stock, and improves crop production. Remember to use quality hose assemblies and fittings like those that you can find from greenshields.    

Consider building a tank and installing a water pump in the natural source. Just install the header tank in an elevated area to gather enough pressure to deliver the pumped water to the troughs. Be aware that most pumps need electricity to run, so you should have access to power near the pumping site to make it work.  

As with other options, you may need permits and licenses issued by proper government agencies to tap natural water sources.   

Conclusion 

Raising farm animals is incredibly rewarding, although it does come with a lot of challenges. One such difficulty is making sure that your stock gets enough water, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, whether it's wet or dry season. You may want to do so by increasing your farm's water supply using the tips discussed in this article.