On Saturday 7 March, Gunning District Landcare hosted a Farm Dam Enhancement Workshop at a property near Dalton, in partnership with the Australian River Restoration Centre (ARRC) and Sustainable Farms ANU. The generous hosts opened their property and shared their own journey of rehabilitating the land, setting a tone of practical, peer-to-peer learning that carried through the whole day.
Most farms in our district have at least one dam. When managed well, these are far more than a water source. An enhanced farm dam, where livestock access is managed and native vegetation is established in and around the water body, can improve water quality, increase water security, support biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research by Sustainable Farms shows that fencing is the single most impactful first step, and that the benefits to farm productivity and the environment are well supported by the data. Fencing is also a key component of ARRC’s Rivers of Carbon on-ground initiative.
For GDL, the workshop also connected to something closer to home. The endangered Southern Pygmy Perch has declined dramatically across NSW, largely due to habitat loss and the spread of invasive species like Redfin Perch. Well-managed farm dams can play a positive role, potentially serving as refuge habitat and emergency translocation sites for the species. But dams can also work against native fish populations if invasive plants or fish are introduced and flow into local creeks during wet periods. GDL and ARRC are currently working on a project to both restore creek habitat and enhance suitable farm dams that could serve as refuges for Southern Pygmy Perch.
Participants left with a clearer sense of what good dam management looks like and, importantly, how to get started. The in-person, on-farm format made a real difference, giving people the chance to see the results of restoration work firsthand and ask questions specific to their own properties.
If you are thinking about enhancing a dam, the resources below are a great place to start. And keep an eye out for our upcoming Erosion Field Day with Local Land Services on 30 April.
From the Australian River Restoration Centre (ARRC):- More information on Rivers of Carbon
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Heaps of useful and free resources and guides