The sound of rain on a farmer’s roof is a euphoria that can quickly turn to dread as the intensity increases and the rain keeps falling. That’s according to Jason Kidd, who operates a mixed cropping and cattle enterprise with his wife Chelsea in the Western Downs.
The Kidds’ property was significantly impacted by rainfall and flooding events throughout 2022, resulting in significant soil erosion, and crop and infrastructure damage.
Chelsea attended the Industry Recovery and Resilience Officer (IRRO) program at the IRRO hosted ‘Resilience in Agriculture’ workshop in Dalby, where she met QFF IRRO Eloise Cosgrove.
Eloise visited the Kidds’ farm where she observed the impacts of the flooding and worked with the Kidds to develop a Flood Management Plan (FMP). Within the plan, the Kidds identified strategies including prioritising the improvement of soil health and obtaining professional agronomic advice.
The priority strategy they identified was the utilisation of AgTech resources and professional technical advice in undertaking a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mapping project on their property.
LiDAR mapping allowed the generation of detailed topographical maps of their property, providing a precise overview and understanding of the terrain and drainage patterns during flood events. This data was crucial in planning for earthworks projects that would help manage the flow of water during intense rainfall and flooding, aiming to prevent erosion long term, therefore, increasing the business’ flood resilience significantly.
Having completed their FMP, the Kidds successfully applied for Queensland Government’s Primary Producer Flood Management Grant, which was made available to eligible primary producers to cover the costs for up to $7500 for flood recovery and resilience related technical advice.
In the video below Jason and Chelsea Kidd discuss their experience during the 2021-2022 flooding events and the process, and benefits, of developing a Flood Management Plan.
You can download a full written case study on the Kidd’s experience with the IRRO program here.
Watch a full video summary of the IRRO program here.
The Industry Recovery and Resilience Officer Program is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
