Engineering Commons^™

Water Supplies : Dams And Roaded Catchments, W J. Burdass, T. R. Negus, A. L. Prout, I. A. F. Laing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's Upper and Lower Great Southern statistical areas include most of the broad-scale agricultural land south of a line from Perth to Hyden. Much of the area is well-developed and carries 13.4 million sheep, 203 00 cattle and 95 000 pigs, almost half the State's livestock.

There are few natural rivers and lakes to water livestock in summer and much of the bore water is salty. On-farm waterr conservation, therefore, consits mainly of excavated earth tanks (dams) which are filled by surface runoff or shallow seepage. In the drier areas and in the sandplain roaded catchments have neen built …

Dam Site Selection In The North-Eastern Wheatbelt, J L. Frith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's wheatbelt farm dams are dug three to eight metres deep and are generally sited in soils which either are inherently impermeable or can be made so during construction.

In the eastern and north-eastern wheatbelt, however, only a small proportion of the soils meets these criteria. Dam site selection in these areas therefore depends on a good knowledge ofwhich soils aresuitable and on our being able to locate them efficiently by using surface indications such as surface soil, natural vegetation or topographic features.

Improved Catchments For Farm Dams, I A F Laing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The amounts and frequency of runoff from unimproved farmland catchments in Western Australia's cereal and sheep districts are notoriously variable and unreliable. As a result many farmers have constructed improved catchments to ensure better reliability of farm dams for livestock and homestead water supplies.

Improved catchments which are used extensively on these farms are all of the compacted or bare-earth type. These include roaded catchments, flat batter dams and, to a lesser extent, scraped catchments. This article mainly discusses roaded catchments, the most common of the improved catchment types on farms.

Drought Proofing The Farm : Case Studies, J L. Frith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For many years, Western Australia's north-eastern wheatbelthas suffered chronic shortages of water for stock and domestic use. The area's averageannual rainfall is generally low - less than 300 millimetres - and droughts in the 1970s caused futher problems. manydams in the area leak or have inadequate catchmentsand groundwater is scarce ormofmpoor quality.

In March 982, the Western Australian Government provided $100 000 for the Department of agriculture to demonstrate the potential of establishing permanent, drought-proof water supplies on farms in the north-eastern wheatbelt. The methods were to use exixting techniques to build dams and catchments. In a year of low …

Test Sites For Farm Dams, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A short article outlining procedures for testing potential dam sites.

Design Standards For Farm Surface Water Supplies, J L. Frith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Design is usually concerned with getting adequate return from limited recources. Farm dams which dry up represent dam failure. Less seriously, so too do dams which, although not drying out, never fill; they waste a recource.

Farm Dams In High Rainfall Areas, G C. Brown

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WATER storage is essential on most south-west farms to ensure adequate irrigation supplies in the dry summers. Government irrigation water supply schemes are limited and most farmers must supply their own water storage.

Water Conservation : The Storage Life Of Farm Dams, D J. Carder

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

HOW MANY stock can a dam of a certain size and depth be expected to carry and how long will the supply last?

What size of dam is needed in case the winter rains fail? How many stock can a dam support and still provide a drought supply?

Planning New Farm Dams : Excavated Earth Tanks, J E. Watson, J. C. Grasby

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A GOOD farm dam is a valuable asset, and well worth its cost, but there are many aspects to consider when a new dam is required. Careful planning with adequate testing and checking will help to get the best value for money and reduce the chance of costly failures.

This article discusses these aspects in relation to the excavated earth tank type of dam.

Farm Dams In The Wheatbelt, J E. Watson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MANY new farm dams are sunk each year in the wheatbelt and much money is spent on them.

With continued development of new land, and increasing stock carrying capacity of older land under legume pastures, the need for more water supplies will continue for a long time.

Water Conservation On The Farm, John W. Lewis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SMALL scale conservation of water for agricultural use is becoming increasingly important throughout Australia.

As land development intensifies, it is natural that farmers turn to more dams and earthen tanks for stock water and irrigation.

Adequate water is essential to supply the carrying capacities made possible by improved pastures, and where greater quantities of water can be stored, fodder crops, pastures, orchards and vegetables can be irrigated.

Overcoming Stock Watering Problems In The Kimberleys, B Swan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ONE of the ever-present problems of the pastoral areas is that of providing: watering-points in reasonably close proximity to the grazing areas.

All too frequently, the country on the river frontages and that in the vicinity of the water-holes becomes eaten out and although there may be ample feed on other portions of the run, it is too far distant from the available water to be effectively utilised.