Poor water quality is currently a major environmental issue both worldwide and in New Zealand, where reactive nitrogen and phosphorous lost from agricultural fields are significant drivers of water quality degradation in rural catchments. As well as reducing the supply of clean water, global agricultural expansion and intensification has reduced the provision of many related ecosystem services, such as air quality regulation, climate regulation, erosion regulation, pest regulation, and pollination.

This paper describes the need for irrigation models within ecosystem service decision support tools so that nutrient and water movement and utilisation efficiency can be accurately quantified. Specifically, this thesis aims to produce a Python scripted model within the Land Utilisation and Capability Indicator (LUCI) ecosystem service framework that predicts and simulates irrigation application to landscapes based on common management strategies and literature derived parameters. This paper will report on current model progress and challenges to development.