ANU Sustainable Farms

Supporting sustainable farming to help conserve Australia’s unique biodiversity.

ANU Sustainable Farms ANU Sustainable Farms
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    • Introduction
    • Support biodiversity
    • Enhance farm dams
    • Establish shelterbelts
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  • Farmer Stories
    • Introduction
    • Tony and Vicky Geddes, Yallock
    • John and Nicole Hopkins, Allawah
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An initiative of the Australian National University
  • Introduction

    • Farm Dams Technical Guide

    • What is an enhanced dam?

    • Benefits of farm dam enhancement

  • Section 1: Water planning and dam decision-making

    • Introduction

    • Importance of farm water planning

    • Farm Water Planning Steps

    • Dam decision-making options

  • Section 2: Enhancing farm dams

    • Introduction

    • Considerations for choosing which dams to enhance

    • How to enhance a farm dam

  • Section 3: Optimising dam construction for multiple benefits

    • Introduction

    • Key features of a well-designed farm dam

    • Planning a new farm dam

    • Enlarging an existing dam

    • Dam maintenance and de-silting

  • Appendices and further info

    • Appendix 1: Planning a farm dam – a worked example

    • Appendix 2: Plant lists for revegetating farm dams

    • Further information

    • Acknowledgements

  1. Technical Guides
  2. Farms Dams Technical Guide
  3. Section 1: Water planning and dam decision-making
  4. Importance of farm water planning

Importance of farm water planning

The goal of farm water planning is to have the water you need, where you need it, when you need it.

Inadequate farm water planning can lead to a range of problems, including:

  1. Running out of water and having to sell stock at the lowest point in the market
  2. Water quality being compromised due to run-off from heavy rainfall events after drought or fire
  3. Poor water quality affecting stock health or productivity

Farming systems have changed considerably over the last twenty years. Changes to factors such as stocking rates, size of animals, changes in grazing management and use of stock containment areas have all contributed to farms using more water.

Quantifying water requirements and storage capabilities is now an essential part of farm planning. It should be undertaken well before water shortages become an issue – in other words, use the wet times to plan ahead for the dry times.


Figure 2: Farm water planning and dam decision making


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Last update: March 28, 2023
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    Sustainable Farms is an Australian National University initiative supported by funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, as well as by philanthropic organisations and industry groups. We work closely with Landcare groups and NRM agencies in NSW and Victoria.

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    Help tackle the challenges of modern-day agriculture in south-eastern Australia. Support sustainable farming and help to conserve Australia’s unique biodiversity.

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    ANU Sustainable Farms acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we work on and we pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

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