The formulation of optimal efficient water use strategies at farm-catchment scales depends on a sound appreciation of water requirements for maximal vegetation health and productivity in relation to the quantities of water available for agricultural and environmental purposes. The ongoing drought in south-eastern Australia, combined with climate-change expectations, has heightened and emphasised the imperative for improved water management for agricultural production and environmental requirements at farm - regional scales throughout the Murray-Darling Basin of eastern Australia.

Satellite remote sensing methods offer the ability to evaluate landscape water use in terms of the contributions made by land use and extent, evapotranspiration rate, and vegetation water requirement. This paper outlines the implementation of a unique integrated field measurement and remote sensing project, entitled "Measurement, Monitoring and Reporting Systems for improved water management at Farm-Regional scales in Australia", to evaluate the water requirement of production and environmental assets in irrigated catchments of the Murray Darling Basin.

The projects activities are being undertaken in the Sunraysia and Goulburn Valley irrigation areas of Victoria, and irrigation districts in New South Wales to facilitate the application of the SEBAL and METRIC satellite remote sensing ET algorithms to major irrigated crops and environmental features of the region

The project is supported by the Commonwealth through the ‘Raising National Water Standards’ program of the National Water Commission, the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures and through the Victorian Departments of Primary Industries (DPI), and Sustainability and environment (DSE).