This Agfact contains information about the following common causes of dam leakage:
- the work of a contractor unfamiliar with farm dam construction
- failure to remove topsoil and vegetation at the embankment site
- use of an unsuitable soil type in the dam wall
- failure to construct a cut-off trench
- poor soil compaction
- failure to backfill exposed rock, gravel or sand in the storage basin
- poor maintenance of the dam.