Heat saps irrigation supplies

St George Cotton Growers Association vice-president Chris Thomas said growers in the area had used more water than they had planned for.

"The combination of a lack of precipitation and hot, strong winds has made the problem bigger than expected," he said.

"People went into the season with full allocation and were optimistic, but we have had the driest spring on record for the area.

"Combine that with the high temperatures and it increases evaporation both in storages and the Beardmore Dam."

Mr Thomas said cotton plants performed well in hot conditions, as long as they had sufficient moisture.

"If you can keep the water up to it, the growing conditions are quite good," he said.

"The hard thing is to put extra money into a crop that is already low value because of the low prices, but unfortunately the cost of not growing it will be worse."

The situation is not as harsh on the Darling Downs, where cotton grower Stuart Armitage, Cecil Plains, said some districts were very dry but others were having an exceptionally good season.

"If you are in the storm tracks you are going well, but if you are on the edge you could be half a watering short," he said.

"If we can get a good rain by the end of January we will be really happy, because it has been a really good cotton season here on the Downs with plenty of heat.

"The cotton has flowered and loaded up really quickly and at this stage it is looking like it will come in earlier than normal."

Central Highlands Cotton Growers Association president Ross Burnett said while water use had been higher this season than the past couple of years, most CQ growers would get through the season with adequate supplies.

"There are a few fields under pressure where they might be running a bit short of water, but the majority will finish with full irrigation," he said.