Avoid those dam headaches

May 1, 2025

More than 20 per cent of dams fail within the first few years, Agriculture Victoria says.

Regular inspection, monitoring and maintenance of your gully dams can reduce the risk of ‘failure’ such as leaks and bank collapses.

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Agriculture Victoria land management extension officer Clem Sturmfels said stock damage, soil erosion, siltation and excessive vegetation growth can all contribute to the gradual deterioration of farm dams.

“A rapid rise in dam water levels following an extended dry period can also add to pressure on dam banks, spillways and pipelines,” Mr Sturmfels said.

“Gully dams fail regularly across Victoria due to poor or dry soils, poor construction and lack of maintenance.

“We estimate more than 20 per cent of gully dams in Victoria fail within a few years of being built.

“Regular inspection and monitoring of dams should be part of normal farming operations and is critical over the six to 12 months after an extended dry period as dams start to fill again.”

Mr Sturmfels encouraged landholders to carefully inspect and monitor their gully dams to pinpoint issues and act before the dam completely fails.

“Landholders need to focus mainly on the dam bank, looking for signs of bank reduction, cracking or tunnelling,” he said.

Regular inspection should include:

Monitoring water levels for signs of leaks.
Checking the bank water line for unusual turbulence or whirlpools indicating a possible leak.
Checking the dam bank for signs of cracking, tunnelling or settlement.
Checking the dam bank, and immediately downstream, for signs of seepage, softness or lush vegetation.
Checking the bank to ensure it is stable, firm, free of soil erosion, has at least a metre of freeboard, a well-rounded crest and has a good cover of topsoil and grass.
Ensuring dam banks and adjacent areas are free of woody vegetation, including trees and shrubs.
Checking the spillway is stable, has good capacity and is free of debris and excessive vegetation.
Checking the inlet area to ensure it is well grassed, stable and free of soil erosion.
Checking for rabbit or stock damage.

Reduce risks by having a reliable line of emergency communication and maintaining emergency procedures, so help can arrive if something goes wrong.

For more information on dam management, go to: https://www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/farmmanagement/water/managing-dam