Dam Building FAQs

Dam leaks and sealing (11 questions)

• How do you fix a leaking dam?

  If a dam is leaking, first identify the leak path before buying sealing products. Common causes include porous clay, poor compaction, pipe leaks, animal holes, spillway damage or a failed core. Big Ditch can inspect the wall, toe, floor and pipework, then recommend dam sealing and leak repair if sealing is the right fix.

• What is bentonite and how is it used for dam sealing?

  Bentonite is a swelling clay used to improve dam sealing when it is properly integrated into suitable soil. It is not just sprinkled on the surface; it works best when mixed, compacted and activated as part of a planned sealing method. Read more about bentonite for dam sealing.

• How do you re-seal a dam with clay?

  1. Find deposit of white clay (usually in a low point that is always damp) 2. Rip and cross rip wall and base. Rip from one side to the other, do not track across. The wall and base need to be 8 way ripped to ensure there isn’t a hard piece of wall or base. Rip down to 800mm. Then dump the white clay on top. Spread out evenly so there is a 600mm layer on top, and also in the 800mm rip. Re-rip the whole dam wall and base to mix the white clay with the existing wall and base. Apply first compaction. Wet wall and base thoroughly. Apply second compaction. Re-wet wall and base. Apply third compaction. Ideally, fill the dam immediately to get the white clay to coagulate and bind to the existing wall and base. Ideally, keep dam full for at least a month to apply the new work to slump and tighten the compaction. Do not allow dam to dry out and produce cracks. Those cracks will break the seal

• Should I line a dam with plastic to stop it leaking?

  I would definitely never line a dam with any marine lining – for a number of specific reasons based on 20 years of building, rebuilding and repairing dams every single day 1. it’s twice the price of using Bentonite 2. linings are half as successful as Bentonite at stopping leaks, as soon as a kangaroo jumps on it the whole lining is compromised. Liners usually only last five years, I know, because I pull them out every week. Liners also make the water look murky and uninviting. If you mis-weld one seam and the whole lining fails. Liners are an old failed technology that first emerged in the 1970’s, but it’s use declined due to the high failure rate. Bitumen liners are used successfully in large mine sites for coffer dams, but bitumen liners are not plastic liners, and bitumen liners are incredibly expensive

• How can I tell what is causing a dam to leak?

  As a dam builder with 20 years experience, I can look at a dam, walk around it once, and assess the reasons for water loss within five minutes. It’s not rocket science – we’re dealing with dirt and water, and only a finite number of things can be causing the problem. This is my 10 point checklist for assessing the cause of a leaking 1. Is there any noticeable wet spots on the downside of the dam? 2. If there is, can you see water running?. There are three types of leakage. Weepage. Seepage. Leakage. All dams weep, it’s a natural process that keeps the dam walls internally moist so that they don’t crack in hot weather. Seepage is when you can see a wet patch – depending on the size, it’s not a critical problem. Most dams will also have seepage spots because they’re made out of clay, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t get 100% consistency in compaction, so water pressure will always find the weakest spot in the dam wall. Leakage is the one you have to worry about. Leakage is when you can see water running on the outside of the dam. That means there is the start of a wall tunnel, and tunnels only ever get bigger because the water travelling through the tunnel is collecting dirt on it’s way through due to flow dynamics. Tunneling can lead to wall collapse in a worst case scenario. Does the water stop at a certain level? This indicates that the dam wall was made in the old style of dam building, with walls in excess of 45 degrees, and possibly constructed with a dozer. When you run a dozer up a wall in excess of 45 degrees, the centre of gravity shifts to the back 20% of the tracks, so you’re only getting compaction on the bottom third of the dam wall – even though the dam wall looks compacted. 4. If the dam water losses stop at a certain level, is that level consistent with the natural ground level outside of the dam? If so, this indicates that the person who constructed the dam walls stripped the top surface material and pushed it into the wall. The top 2m of any ground shouldn’t be used for dam walls. That top 2m usually consists of topsoil and red clay – two materials you should never use for dam walls because both have molecular porosity – mean that they let water through easily. The material you want is white clay, usually found 2m below the surface. White clay (kaolinite) will not let water through its mass. Kaolinite has non-porous coagulative properties. 5. What color is the dam wall?. If red or black, wrong material has been used. Dam walls should be white, or off-white. What shape are the dam walls? 6. Are the dam walls convex or concave? If convex, then insufficient compaction was achieved.7. Do the dam walls have tight corners? If it does, it is impossible to get heavy compaction into tight corners. 8. Are there large trees on the dam walls?. Tree roots head towards water, and they grow larger with age. They cause two problems. Trees drink a lot of water, and they create a space between the root and the dirt, which allows water to escape. 9. Are there cracks in the wall. Cracks allow water to escape. 10. Has the dam at any stage held water successfully?. If it has, and it is now leaking, this indicates some type of structural internal wall failure. Dam leakage comes down to four basic things – wrong material, insufficient compaction, bad dam design, trees on dam wall. Sometimes, evaporation and water loss due to hot weather, wave action and wind velocity can make a dam look like its leaking. Those conditions can cause losses of up to 2% of total water volume per day. It would only take 50 days for a dam to lose all its water if those conditions persisted. Once you can figure out which of these issues are causing the problem, then a solution can be recommended. There is a different solution for each problem.

• Are GCL liners a good solution for sealing a leaking dam?

  In my opinion, the answer is no. Here’s why. These GCL liners are 2 layers of geofabric with a bentonite clay powder between, and then they require 300mm of cover to hold them down. The product alone is $10-$12 per sq.m. It sounds like a good idea – if you don’t know how Bentonite works. The problem with those GCL liners is that the Bentonite is isolated between the two geofabric layers. For Bentonite to activate and start expanding, it needs to be integrated into the surrounding ground. When it is water activated, each molecule expands 400 times it’s original size through flocculation, and the  coagulation effect that is then initiated anchors itself by attaching to the surrounding ground clay. During this process, all the microscopic air pockets that exist in earth are expelled, and the clay and Bentonite are fused into a permanent non-porous seal. What you get with those liners is a layer of Bentonite not attached to anything. Essentially it is floating inside the wall. It is the same as a marine liner, and has the same problems. One tear, and the whole liner is compromised. One faulty join, and the whole lining is compromised. A dam wall and base has to be a single contiguous membrane, otherwise, through the water pressure that exists at the bottom of a dam, water will be forced out of the joins. A liner, by it’s nature, has to have joins – and they are the weakest link in the whole installation. You don’t have weak links with Bentonite applied in the correct way. That’s because you don’t have joins – and that is why it works so well. God has made a perfect product, and people keep thinking they can improve on the natural, organic, eco friendly solution he came up with. Besides that, these liners cost $10-$12 per sq.m. (not including installation) – whereas, at the application rate of 30 kgs per square metre, Bentonite costs $8 psqm. So you pay 10-30% more, for a product that works half as well – and half is being generous.

• How do I test bentonite to see if it will seal my dam?

  You build a small replica of your dam at 1:100 scale, and you apply the Bentonite as you would to a larger dam. We consult to dam owners and builders all over the world, and we just completed this test strategy with a client in Mexico

• Can I just throw bentonite on the water surface to seal a dam?

  Bentonite has to be applied in a very specific way to guarantee 100% success. Every inch of the dam base and dam walls need to be ripped to 800mm using an 8 way cross thatch rip pattern, then the Bentonite equally spread over the surface at a rate of 30kgs per square metre. Every inch of the dam interior should now be pure white. The walls and base then need to be re-ripped to 800mm. This encourages the Bentonite into the first 600mm of the wall and base. The wall and base colour needs to change from white to brown. This indicates that the Bentonite has been integrated with the wall and base material. This is the most important part of the process and integral to the success of the seal. Once you have achieved a consistent slightly milky brown colour with extensive re-ripping, then 8 way cross-track compaction needs to be applied over the whole inner surface of the dam. This locks the Bentonite into the wall. The dam needs to then be immediately filled, but very slowly, to ensure the Bentonite activates and coagulates inside the dam wall to create the seal. You then need to keep the dam full for the first month to ensure there is water pressure pushing on the wall. If you do all the steps properly, and in the right order, your dam will outlast you, and the seal in your dam will get tighter every day.

• Is calcium bentonite as good at sealing dams as sodium bentonite?

  No, it is useless. Sodium Bentonite fines will swell 400 times the original molecule size when it absorbs water. This is what creates the seal. Calcium Bentonite will not flocculate at all 

• The Department of Primary Industries suggest that a leaking dam can be fixed by layering the outside of the dam wall with clay. Will this work?

  No, it won’t work, and worse yet, it is dangerous. Basic principle, never try to seal a dam from the outside. You want water pressure to work with you, so if you seal on the inside, the water pressure is pushing your seal against the wall making it tighter. But if you seal from the outside, the water pressure will be trying to separate your seal from the wall. Also, you’ll have a saturated inner wall butting up against clay, which will loosen any bond that the clay has with the wall, in most cases, that clay will slump and separate from the wall. The best analogy to demonstrate the physics at play in this situation is……Imagine you had a bucket. Fill it with water. Now puncture a hole in the side. Now, imagine getting a piece of plastic, reach down inside the bucket, and put the plastic over the hole. What happens? The plastic is pushed hard up against the inside wall of the bucket, and the hole stops leaking. Now do the same thing, but this time, instead of reaching down inside the bucket, put the plastic on the outside (without any glue or adhesive or gaffer tape).  What happens? The water pressure pushes the plastic away from the hole and the hole continues to leak. I am shocked that the government can get basic physics so wrong, and put out information that is dangerous and can cause dam wall failures

• What is the best way to fix a 25m x 20m leaking dam that has steep walls and was constructed with red clay?

  Red clay was probably used because that’s all that is available in that area – however red clay is like using sand, it’s never going to be non-porous and seal water inside the dam. To get around this problem, we would use Bentonite, which is a naturally occurring flocculant coagulate white clay that expands 400 times when it meets water, so it creates a watertight seal that gets tighter every day for the life of the dam. So it will solve your problem. However, the downside is the cost. Bentonite costs $475 per 1.2 tonnes (including transport from Queensland), and for it to work properly, you need to use 30kgs per 1sqm. So for this size dam, a wall and base surface area of 625sqm – therefore you would need 18,750 kgs – which equates to 18.7 tonnes of Bentonite. The Bentonite comes in 1.2 tonne bulker bags – so that’s 16 bulker bags required. At $475 + GST per bag, the cost of the Bentonite for this dam is going to be $7,600 + GST. The rule of thumb for Bentonite application is that the cost to rip up the dam walls and base, integrate the Bentonite into the wall and base material to a depth of 800mm, and then seal the Bentonite in is the same cost as the cost of the Bentonite required. So all up, you’d be looking at around $15,000 + GST to seal this dam and ensure the leakage stops. There are only 4 ways to seal a dam 1. Bentonite 2. Dam liner (costs twice as much as Bentonite and only has a life of 10 years) 3. Clay (white clay is scarce and expensive at around $100 per m3). Fill the dam in. The pro’s for doing this are 1. your dam will never leak again 2. the application will involve reshaping the dam and it’s walls to make the dam more attractive. The con’s are that it requires an investment of funds to fix the problem

Dam water management and evaporation (7 questions)

• How much water does a dam lose to evaporation?

  We have done tests that show almost 30% of a dams water volume can be lost in a very short amount of time due to sun and wind. This evaporation can be reduced by making the dam deeper, and having water plants to reduce sunlight interacting with the water surface.

• How do I stop dam water evaporating?

  Realistically, there are only two choices 1. Man made – eg shade balls, liquids, covers 2. Natural – water plants such as lotus, lillies, duckweed. Manmade is expensive, but can be implemented quickly. Natural is cheap, but takes 2-3 years to implement.

• How can I prevent evaporation from my farm dam?

  To minimize evaporation from a farm dam, implement measures such as floating covers, windbreaks, or vegetation around the dam’s perimeter. These methods can reduce evaporative losses and conserve water.

• How do I calculate the water storage capacity of a farm dam?

  The water storage capacity of a farm dam can be calculated by multiplying the surface area of the dam by the average depth of water. This calculation provides an estimate of the volume of water the dam can hold.

• How can I improve water quality in my farm dam?

  To improve water quality in a farm dam, control nutrient inputs from surrounding areas, prevent erosion and sedimentation, manage livestock access to the dam, and consider appropriate water treatment methods if needed.

• How can I prevent algae growth in my farm dam?

  To prevent algae growth, you can implement measures such as reducing nutrient inputs, controlling runoff from surrounding areas, using aeration devices to improve water circulation, and applying algicides if necessary.

• What is the theory of water security?

  The basic theory of water security is this… Even if we are in a drought, there will be 2 or 3 major rain events in the year. You have to capture as much of those limited rain events as possible, and keep it for as long as possible. It’s not rocket science. But one swale, placed in precisely the right position, could be responsible for capturing 3 times your whole dam volume throughout the year from those limited rain events. But you can only do that by watching where groundwater flows during a major event, and then figuring out how you can bend it back into the dam

Dam design and construction (11 questions)

• What is a farm dam?

  A farm dam is an artificial water reservoir constructed on agricultural land to collect and store water for various purposes, such as irrigation, livestock watering, and domestic use.

• Why do I need a farm dam?

  A farm dam provides a reliable and accessible water source for agricultural activities, ensuring adequate water supply for irrigation, livestock, and other farm needs, especially during dry periods.

• How deep should a dam be?

  Every dam should be at least 4m deep. That gives silt a chance to settle and minimises evaporation

• What colour clay should I use to build a dam?

  Never use black, red or yellow. You need grey or white – because those are coagulate clays. The rest are porous

• How do I determine the ideal size of a farm dam?

  The size of a farm dam depends on factors such as water requirements, catchment area, expected rainfall, evaporation rates, and soil permeability. Consulting with an engineer or agricultural expert is recommended to determine the appropriate size for your specific needs.

• Should I build a turkeys nest dam?

  A turkeys nest dam is a dam built above the natural ground. They are the above ground pools of the dam world. Turkey’s nests always leak. You usually build a turkeys nest if the water table is close to the surface, and the water table is saline. Otherwise, don’t build a turkeys nest. It’s 2021, not 1980

• Should I fix an old dam or build a new one?

  I’d start again. You’ll be chasing your arse trying to fix problems if a dam hasn’t been built properly. Build one correctly and fill the the broken one in. It will cost the same to build a new one as fix a badly made dam

• What do you look for when deciding if a dam is suitable for a site?

  A suitable dam site depends on position, catchment, clay content, topography, access, soil profile, water flow and environmental constraints. Big Ditch looks at practical field signals as well as design constraints before recommending a build, rebuild or repair path. For more complex sites, start with dam design and consulting.

• What is a spillway, and why is it important?

  A spillway is a structure designed to safely discharge excess water from a dam, preventing overtopping and potential damage. It is essential for maintaining the integrity and safety of the dam.

• Can I construct a farm dam on sloping terrain?

  Constructing a farm dam on sloping terrain is possible, but it requires careful design and engineering considerations to ensure proper stability and prevent erosion. Consult with experts to determine the most suitable design for your specific site.

• How long does it take to construct a farm dam?

  The timeline depends on dam size, site access, weather, clay/materials, spillway work, machinery availability and whether the job is a new build, repair or rebuild. Small works may be quicker, while larger or more complex rural dams need site inspection, weather windows and production scheduling before timing can be confirmed.

Dam failures and safety (7 questions)

• Why do some dams fail?

  There are five main reasons dams fail: 1. sub-standard construction materials/techniques 2. dam design and consulting error 3. Overtopping 4. geological instability caused by changes to water levels during filling 5. poor maintenance, especially of outlet pipes.

• What are the risks of dam failure?

  The risks of dam failure include flooding downstream, damage to property and infrastructure, loss of water supply, and potential harm to human and animal life. Proper design, construction, and maintenance are essential to minimize these risks.

• What are the signs of dam distress or potential failure?

  Signs of dam distress or potential failure include seepage or water leaks, cracking or movement of the dam wall, unusual wet or dry areas near the dam, or changes in the dam’s water level. These signs should be addressed promptly to prevent failure.

• How can I prevent dam failure during heavy rainfall?

  To prevent dam failure during heavy rainfall, ensure proper spillway design and capacity, monitor water levels, address any signs of distress promptly, and implement appropriate maintenance and safety protocols.

• How can I prevent dam failure due to piping?

  Piping, or internal erosion, can lead to dam failure. To prevent piping, ensure proper compaction of dam materials, install suitable filters or drainage layers, and maintain adequate freeboard (distance between water level and dam crest) to minimize seepage.

• What are the key considerations for dam safety?

  Dam safety considerations include factors such as adequate spillway design, embankment stability, erosion control, proper construction techniques, and regular maintenance to prevent failures and ensure the safety of surrounding areas.

• Do you guarantee that your dams will hold water?

  I’ve been doing this for 20 years. Dams are all I do. Every day. And I have only two things on my to-do list 1. build dams that hold water 2. fix dams that aren’t holding water. I have never failed to fix a dam that was leaking – because in reality, it’s very simple. It’s clay and water. The right sort of clay ( eg Kaolinite – which is a coagulate clay) will stop water transiting out through the wall or dam base, but will allow water to be absorbed on a molecular level and expand, therefore creating a permanent, but porous flexible seal. You have to find the right clay, and then know how to seal it. It’s not rocket science, but it’s amazing the number of earthmovers who don’t know those basics. However, should your dam be incredibly special, and be the first dam in 322 dams that I have built or repaired that doesn’t hold water, then I would fix it. But that’s not going to happen. Firstly, your dam is not going to be that special (technically challenging I mean) and secondly, mainly because I’m too busy, and I don’t want to waste time going back to the same place twice. Better to do it right. Once. That said, for the first three months, your water level will go down as the dry wall sucks in water to stabilize it’s internal hydrology. You will lose at least 1 x dam volume of water into the wall, because the dirt in the wall equals the volume of the dam. Once that inflection point is reached, the dam will be balanced, and it will be like a wet sponge and no more water will get into the wall. That said, evaporation will steal 3 times your dam’s volume every year – so water plants covering the surface are important to cut loses from evap. In summer, a dam can lose 2% of its total volume straight up into the sky through evaporation. And many people confuse that with leakage. I always say to people, put a saucer of water out in the sun, and see how long until it’s dry. The next day they look and it’s dry. That’s the effect of evaporation through heat, humidity, wind and surface ripple action

Animals, erosion and maintenance (9 questions)

• Do animals damage dams?

  A lot of nuisance wildlife live close to dams, and sometimes, in the dam walls. Animals often burrow into dam walls looking for a place to live, or food. When they do this, they create tunnels inside the wall structure which then compromises the structural integrity of earthen dams. They also alter the dam wall surface as they create trails and tracks when they search for prey. Most of the bad things animals do results in changing the external and internal geometry of the dam wall. Depending on the condition of earth structure, prolonged high water levels and storm events could speed up the damage progress and could eventually lead to wall collapse. The worst case scenario is when burrows enter the dam wall from the water side and the outside of the wall, causing a narrowing of the dam wall.

• What do I do if I find animals have burrowed into a dam wall?

  Visible animal burrows in earthen dams should be flagged as an urgent maintenance issue that require immediate repairs. If portions of the top of the dam wall are affected, a loss of freeboard can result, which could result in overtopping during storm events. The only solution is 1. backfill the burrows with earth, and then ram the backfill to create a solid repair, or 2. tear down the wall and rebuild it if damage is too extensive. The best solution is to stop the problem at its origin, and peg out chicken mesh along the inside and outside dam wall to stop the animals from being able to start their burrows

• How big a problem are burrowing animals when it comes to dams?

  The yearly cost of failed earth dam construction due to animal burrows in the United States exceeds billions of dollars.

• How can I protect the dam wall from animal burrowing?

  To protect the dam wall from animal burrowing, you can install underground barriers made of wire mesh or geotextiles. These barriers deter animals from burrowing into the dam embankment.

• How can I prevent erosion around my farm dam?

  Erosion around a farm dam can be prevented by implementing erosion control measures such as vegetative cover, riprap or gabion protection, and properly designed spillways to prevent concentrated flow and erosion.

• How can I protect my farm dam from sedimentation?

  To protect a farm dam from sedimentation, implement erosion control measures upstream, such as vegetative cover or sediment basins. Regularly inspect and clean out sediment traps or silt fences to prevent excessive sediment accumulation.

• What maintenance is required for a farm dam?

  Regular maintenance tasks for a farm dam include monitoring for leaks, inspecting spillways, removing vegetation and debris, and ensuring proper functioning of water control structures. Regular inspections by a qualified professional are recommended.

• How often should I inspect my farm dam?

  Farm dams should be regularly inspected for any signs of damage or deterioration. A general guideline is to conduct visual inspections at least twice a year and more frequently after heavy rain events or significant changes in water levels.

• What is the lifespan of a farm dam?

  The lifespan of a farm dam depends on various factors, including design, construction quality, maintenance practices, and environmental conditions. A well-constructed and properly maintained dam can last for several decades.

Cost, licensing and rebates (9 questions)

• Do I need a licence for a dam?

  Dam licence and approval requirements depend on the state, catchment, waterway impact, dam size, harvestable rights and intended use. NSW, Queensland and Victoria each apply different rules, so landowners should check the relevant authority requirements before major dam works or modifications.

• Can I get a rebate or refund for dam construction costs?

  Rebates, grants and refunds for dam construction or rural water infrastructure are scheme-dependent and can change. Check current state and federal rural water programs before relying on a rebate, and allow for the fact that eligibility may depend on location, drought status, farm use and the type of work proposed.

• What are harvestable rights?

  NSW Water allows owners or occupiers of land to collect 5% of all rain that falls on their land, and store this rainfall in dams on the property. This legislation affects the size of dams that landholders can construct on their land.The water captured in a harvestable rights dam cannot be supplied to any other property. However, the NSW Government is now reviewing this old legislation, and may increase the landholders rainfall capture rights from 5% to 100%. Read more: https://www.bigditch.com.au/harvestable-rights-review/

• How much is a megalitre?

  Dams are measured in megalitres, which is 1,000,000 litres. Some water bodies are measured in gigalitres, and one gigalitre equals 1000 million litres. Sydney Harbour holds 500 gigalitres of water. To give you an idea of how much a megalitre is, an Olympic swimming pool is 2.5 megalitres. An Olympic swimming pool is much bigger than a standard house pool, or a public swimming pool. An Olympic swimming pool measures 50 metres long, 25 metres wide, and a minimum of 2 metres deep.

• What are the costs associated with farm dam construction?

  The costs associated with farm dam construction vary depending on factors such as size, materials used, site conditions, and labor costs. Consulting with engineers or contractors can provide a more accurate estimation based on your specific requirements. For a full breakdown of pricing, see our ffarm dam cost guide

• Do we get what we pay for when building a dam?

  When we construct dams, we always end up with more volume than was quoted for because we never want to come in short on the last day, so it’s easier to peg out an extra 10% to give us more flexibility

• Are there any grants or funding available for farm dam construction?

  There may be grants, rebates or rural water funding programs available depending on your location, the current scheme rules and the purpose of the dam. Programs change over time, so check current state and federal agriculture or rural assistance programs before assuming funding is available.

• If we want to build a dam, can you guarantee a start date?

  With regard to timings, we can only commit to timings after deposits have been paid. As soon as deposit is paid, we allocate that production in the schedule, and most times, you get the time that is requested. The sooner you lock in your commitment, the sooner we can commit to the timing. So we work on a ‘first in best dressed’ deposit policy. We do it this way because we used to give people production commitments, but because they weren’t committed because they hadn’t paid money, we were left with holes in our production schedule. Now we have a policy of ‘if you commit, we commit’. It’s a strict policy, and we don’t deviate from it. It ensures that if you’re serious, you will get a confirmed start date

• Can Big Ditch build a dam in Tasmania?

  Building a dam in Tasmania is a nightmare. There are 147 pages of regulations that you need to wade through. In short, dam works generally require approval under the Water Management Act 1999 (“WMA”). A separate planning permit is not required for dams works authorised under the WMA. Under the WMA, there is a relatively simple approval process for lower risk dams and a fuller assessment process for higher risk dams. For either process, you would require the assistance of a dam consultant or engineer (engineers do not know anything about dirt. They know about steel, concrete or any man made materials). Lower risk dams generally include single dams not on a watercourse and on unvegetated land. However, lower risk dams have a capacity of less than one megalitre – so swimming pool size. If the lower risk dam was less than 1 megalitre, the provisions of Council’s planning scheme would instead apply. You move from one hell to another. These regulations make it necessary to engage a consultant and an engineer with direct experience of dam construction and approval in Tasmania, given that it is quite a particular process.  So this adds costs to the process. The bureaucrats who put this in place need to take a trip to NSW and see for themselves that allowing people to capture water for domestic and stock use untethered by red tape doesn’t lead to the collapse of society as we know it. In NSW, there are two rules 1. Stay within your harvestable right 2. Don’t dam named streams or creeks. Tasmania’s process is so counter-intuitive and so wrong. We’ve been capturing water for thousands of years. In fact, since day 1. This is like needing government certification for breathing. But, it’s their game and their rules. So you have to either play or piss off. This is the best example of Nannystatism when it comes to dam building – where a government doesn’t trust its people to collect water to survive

Dam uses, livestock and fire (4 questions)

• Can fish be introduced to a dam?

  Yes, fish can quite happily live in a dam. If the dam is being used for domestic water needs, fish shouldn’t be introduced.

• How do I ensure water quality for livestock in a farm dam?

  To ensure water quality for livestock in a farm dam, prevent livestock access to the dam itself and provide alternative watering points such as troughs or tanks that are regularly cleaned and monitored.

• Can I use a farm dam for irrigation without a pump?

  The feasibility of using a farm dam for irrigation without a pump depends on the elevation difference between the dam and the fields to be irrigated. Gravity-based irrigation systems can work if there is sufficient slope for water flow.

• Can a farm dam be used for fire-fighting purposes?

  Yes, a farm dam can be utilized as a water source for fire-fighting purposes. Properly maintained and accessible fire hydrants or outlets near the dam can facilitate its use in emergencies.