Now’s the time to maintain dams
SOUTHERN Rural Water (SRW) said recent rainfall has tested the integrity of some farm dams, serving as a timely reminder for landowners to carry out routine maintenance.
SRW’s Hugh Christie said that a dam is a valuable asset on any farm, providing essential stock or irrigation water supplies and should be inspected throughout the year as part of preventative maintenance.
“Dam failure not only leads to expensive repair bills; it also means lost production while the dam is repaired,” he said.
“The owner is also legally liable for any damage a failed dam causes to people, property or the environment.”
SRW provides some basic good practice guidelines to help achieve a long operating life from your dam:
- The spillway must be designed to cope with large storms and rainfall runoff. The spillway must never be reduced in size without the approval of your rural water authority.
- Compensation pipe and valve. The valve must be operated regularly to avoid seizure due to rust and other build up. Operating regularly will also reduce the amount of silt and other debris that can build up in the compensation pipe. Safe and simple access to the valve must be maintained at all times.
- Dam wall. The downstream wall should be kept clear of trees, shrubs and weeds. The slope should have an even cover of deep-rooted grass, regularly maintained to allow visual assessment of the wall.
- Dam crest. The crest may be used to allow stock or vehicles to cross the dam wall. However, it should be kept level to avoid potholes and uneven areas forming.
The crest should also be fenced to exclude stock from both the upstream and downstream walls. Allowing stock access to the walls will cause damaging erosion.
- General surveillance. You should regularly look for leaks, wet spots, slumping or any signs that the dam may be at risk. Regular inspections and prompt maintenance should ensure you get the maximum life span from your dam. Any movement should immediately be reported to your local rural water authority (eg Southern Rural Water) and your farm dam engineer.
“This advice is general. We encourage all dam owners to seek expert advice about the best way to keep their dam safe and operating properly,” Mr Christie said.
“A qualified and experienced farm dam consulting engineer is a great place to start.”
For more information you can contact Southern Rural Water on 1300 139 510.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Oct 22 2019. Filed under Featured, Rural News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
