Water Talk | Check dams now

After a drier-than-average start to winter, the season has turned around, with many dams now at capacity, making it the ideal time to inspect their structural integrity.

Check for any build-up of debris or vegetation in the spillway area that may obstruct flow, as well as signs of water overtopping the dam wall.

Overtopping can weaken the structure and lead to dam failure. Ideally, there should be at least one metre of freeboard to ensure overflow exits via the spillway.

Freeboard is the height between the water full supply level and the top of the dam wall. Full dams offer a great opportunity to calculate storage capacity and plan your summer water needs and water budget ahead of drier conditions.

To accurately calculate capacity, a key step is measuring the depth of your dams.

You can do this by making a DamDeep measuring device following instructions on the Agriculture Victoria website.

Make sure you also include the following in your water plan:

• dam volume

• roof catchment area and tank capacity

• livestock water consumption

• evaporation losses

• domestic, spraying and firefighting requirements

Installing a reticulation system to transfer dam water into a header tank and trough network is a good option to improve water security, reduce evaporation and optimise the use of your stored water. Don’t forget to monitor water quality, particularly if runoff from fire-affected areas or eroded ground has entered the dam.

Restrict livestock access to dams to prevent pugging and contamination from animal waste as clean water is essential for livestock health and productivity.

A long-term solution may be to revegetate dam margins and inflow areas with native reeds, rushes and sedges to create a natural filter, while also improving water quality and bank stability. For practical tools and tips to help improve farm dam performance, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/water/farm-water-solutions