Everyone with a front-end loader on their farm tractor fancies their chances of successfully building their own farm dams. Hopefully this thought persists for only a few fleeting moments before common sense kicks in. Dam building is a specialised skill and most failed dams I have observed are the result of impulsive action by farmers, without sensible planning and advice.
It is worthwhile to choose an earthmoving contractor who has experience and a good work record. Not every contractor has the experience or the ability to build a dam. Try to find someone who specialises in dam construction. For example, you could ask neighbours who have had dams built if they are happy with the results.
Once you have found a few dam builders ask them to show you some of their recent work. If possible, talk to the owners of these dams and ask their opinions of the work. If you choose an experienced dam builder with good references, you can reduce the chance of problems occurring during and after the building of your dam.
It is also worthwhile to consider whether your chosen contractor has experience in building dams in the soil type and geological formations that your property contains.
Cross section of constructed dam wall
Where to put the Dam
The dam site you choose will determine its success.
A gully is usually a good place to site a dam because it reduces the amount of earthworks and the overall cost. However, not everyone has the advantage of a gully site on their property; and many farm dams are built on hillsides.
There are two important considerations to help you to choose the best location:
- the catchment yield, and
- the soil type at the site.
For further information regarding soil type and dam construction refer to the article Soil type and dam construction.
For further information regarding catchment yield refer to the article How big should my dam be?
