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The soil moisture monitoring (SMM) project, with the use of underground probes, provides real-time soil water content data to Victoria’s farmers.
Monitoring sites have been set up in cropping regions throughout the state by Agriculture Victoria.
The sites record soil water content at one source point from 30 centimetres (cm) down to 1 metre as a reference point for a paddock.
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| Locations of Agriculture Victoria soil moisture monitoring sites |
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To access information provided in the graphs, log onto the Agriculture Victoria soil moisture monitoring dashboard.
No login or passwords required, and speedos are automatically updated and will represent the most recent rainfall.
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| Weather and soil moisture monitoring observations |
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Figure 1: Growing season rainfall deciles for Victoria (April - June)
The Victorian rainfall decile map for growing season rainfall in winter cropping regions shows north central, parts of the Mallee and Wimmera are decile 4 - 7. Gippsland is also average. The western side of the Mallee and parts of Wimmera are below average and the Northeast is also below average.
Southwest Victoria and the southern Wimmera are decile 1.
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Figure 2. June rainfall totals and rainfall deciles
Average to below average rainfall conditions during June provided small rainfall events. These were beneficial to allow germination of crops that didn’t emerge in May. There has been generally limited opportunity to build soil moisture reserves with the small rain events.
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Figure 3. Current month to date 16 July rainfall totals and rainfall percentages for Victoria
Deep soil moisture levels have started to improve in many parts of the state during July once the topsoil horizon was wet. A series of rain events with totals above 10 mm allowed moisture infiltration past 30 cm. In areas that had deep moisture reserves established in summer, we have observed connection to this soil water.
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Soil moisture measurements displayed on the Agriculture Victoria dashboard. The monitoring of cropping sites show most parts of the state are >50% except the southwest. Mallee, north central and Northeast moisture percentages are due to the wet summer. Wimmera soil moistures levels are good but monitoring sites didn’t fill to depth over summer.
The perennial pasture sites (image right) ended the summer period very dry and limited rain in the autumn and the dry winter to date has caused those profiles to still be much drier than normal.
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| Soil moisture speedos 16 July 2024 |
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Note - use extensionaus.com.au/soilmoisturemonitoring to activate your preferred reference monitoring location soil moisture percentage.
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All sites soil moisture percentages 16 July including annual winter crop and non-cropped paddocks and perennial pastures.
Pastures sites in the southwest have had limited improvement in the past month with small rain events. Gippsland sites are wet and the Gippsland Ag Group sites in the hills are also improving.
The drop-down selection bar on bottom left-hand side of the map (highlighted in the red box) provides the option to either select crop or grazing sites. Cropping sites are reviewed in more detail in the sections below with an emphasis on connection of new seasons moisture to older reserves.
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| Speedo soil moisture graphs |
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Wet deep soil moisture conditions. Modem repairs are required to obtain recent data and check connection of this season’s moisture to the deep moisture reserves.
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New season’s moisture is connected to the deeper reserves established in summer.
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New season’s moisture is connected to the deeper reserves established in summer.
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Photos from 25 June, Sheep Hills site - Donald/Warracknabeal
New season’s moisture is connected to the deeper reserves established in summer. Barley had emerged in mid-May after being sown into lentil stubble.
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Rainfall is starting to build some deep moisture reserves. These are good but not full at these monitoring points.
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New seasons moisture connected to the deeper reserves from carry over moisture from last year's lower water use crop of lentils.
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Photos from 25 June at Taylors Lake site - Horsham
This paddock was grazed over summer with germination of volunteer canola. Wet deep soil moisture conditions still exist below 70 cm but dry above this.
Rain generated enough moisture to assist the crop emerge after deep sowing to seek moisture. Post crop emergence (which has been patchy in this district) there has been limited moisture infiltration. Paddocks with summer weed control would have higher soil moisture.
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New seasons moisture is connected to the deeper moisture at 60 cm established in summer.
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New seasons moisture is connected to the deeper reserves established from the fallow last season.
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New seasons moisture connected to the deeper reserves on 11 July.
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Photos from 25 June at Coonooer Bridge site - Charlton
Wheat emerged on rainfall and is growing well with decile 5 growing season rainfall and high decile soil moisture. Rain gauge replacement with bird deterrent spikes to prevent blockage. A 4G modem swap over has occurred in preparation for 3G switch off in August.
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New seasons moisture is connected to the soil water reserves established in summer. Infiltration has been deeper with high rain events and a wetter profile. Wheat was sown into good moisture on 21 May and is growing well on a very wet soil profile that has water well beyond 1 metre.
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Wet deep soil moisture conditions and the district has benefited from regular rain events and crop development shows high yield potential. Deep soil moisture conditions are similar to this time last year.
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Modelled soil moisture at Elmore with the Soilwater app compared to moisture probe data (bottom chart). Using an estimated 70% plant available water at the start of April to run the model and determine growing season moisture improvements; there is good correlation to moisture probe data. Both information sources have >80% plant available moisture.
Now is the time to be setting up models to assist with estimating soil moisture, that will provide some guidance on yield potential and current nitrogen application strategies.
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| Youanmite soil moisture (30 – 100 cm) |
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Off line - further repairs required.
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Wet conditions at the Giffard West monitoring site, after breaking rains and good follow up in July.
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| Lake Bolac SMM (30 – 100 cm) |
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Off line - repairs required.
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Wheat crop is established but has no deep moisture in the profile. There are just some early indications that moisture is appearing at the first sensor or 30 cm in depth.
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Red wheat sown in early April at Yalla – Y - Poora, emerged in the second half of April and benefited from the 10 May rain event. Limited rain in the past 2 months and there have been no improvement to soil moisture reserves.
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