25. Adgingbong and Waterholes
PARTS 1 to 6 of “Adgingbongs and Waterholes Subscription Service” is provided as a complimentary subscription service to our customers that elect to subscribe. Parts 7 onwards is available as a paid subscription service. New Customers are offered Free No Cost Subscriptions to a Series of Researched Methods. Parts 1-6 is focused on earthworks. Parts 7 onwards is focused on managemnent. Non-Customers can purchase the entire Series via a 3 year subscription service.
Multi-Function Water Holes for Tree Crops – Earthworks commenced 2007. Within our 1.5 Hectare Adgingbong Paddock there is 1.5 km’s of waters edge holding 3 million litres of surface water and now maybe 10 million litres more in sub soil storage. Over the decade many modifications have been made to improve upon the original designed and constructed landscape. To date we have identified fewer than 10 ideal tree crops suitable for what is ultimately a dryland tree crop system that relies upon deep soil reserves of moisture – integrated with periodic grazing. We use applied water to establish trees, but not to maintain production. Trees must be self-sufficient.
RESEARCH: Duck Island is currently being transformed with Plantings of Date Palms + Pecans + Figs + Apples + Macadamia. MOST IMPORTANT Work in Progress is the elimination of Tall Tussock Grasses = by relying upon the grinding and trampling effect of periodically contained cattle on Duck Island. Replacement Groundcovers include Short Creeping Couch Grass and Lippia with Clovers + Medics.
PHOTO 1: Our Adgingbong Paddock. The black bean shape is the main 2 megalitre dam. Black water is derived after dry periods when low water levels allow bulrush to cover most of the dam wall. When inundated, dead bulrush breaks down releasing tannins to colour the water. After about 3 months the water is clear. To maintain clean dam water we no longer stock it with fish. (excluding guppies, crayfish, shrimp, mussels). Bulrush is a natural accumulator of phosphorous, so makes ideal mulch for the garden. To the right foreground is a DUCK ISLAND (see illustration Photo 8) about 60 metres long. Behind the dam is a series of 10 linear adgingbongs, about 600 metres total. DATE of PHOTO Jan ’18.
PHOTO 2: Native Bulrush line the dam and so reduces wind whilst increasing humidity. If you can achieve 100% humidity, evaporation is eliminated. DATE of PHOTO Circa 2008.
PHOTO 3: Pecan Tree on waters edge. Pecans are part of a tree belt designed to shade the water and increase humidity by reducing air flow around the water course. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 4: Part of Duck Island. Logs laid as a crossing. Branches are stacked for crayfish habitat and to encourage groundcovers to colonise the bare earth banks. DATE of PHOTO 1/12/18.
PHOTO 5: Nardoo grows in thick swathes on waters edge. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 6: A Duck made floating nest surrounded by dry stalks of bulrush and azolla. DATE of PHOTO 1/12/18.
PHOTO 7: Looking from Duck Island into main dam. Half of the water that enters the dam flows through this inlet via Duck Island. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 8: Duck Island is seen in Photo 1 Above as a bean shaped construct bottom right below the dam (here it is upside down in this illustration) and Also Photo 13 Below where catchment runoff enters around Duck Island (via Photo 7) and flows into main dam which in turn overflows to a series of 10 Linear Adgingbongs that are visible in Photo 1.
PHOTO 9: Natural habitat for all types of waterbirds attracted th the adgingbongs. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 10: Apple seedlings have been planted on Duck Island. All grown from seed – they will be pruned to be above grazing height of small meaty milking cattle. Without grazing animals these tree crops cannot exist. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 11: English Oak in Stock Ptroof Tree Guards on one of the adgingbongs after 12 months of above average rainfall. Objective is to use grazing animal management to replace tall grasses with shorter creeping groundcovers especially Lippia + Nardoo + Couch Grass. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 12: Citrus grown from seed on the edge of an adgingbong. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.
PHOTO 13: Part of the water belt surrounding Duck Island in Foreground with Main Dam in Background. DATE of PHOTO: 2022.