But not just any old dam will do the trick, as a group of 15 farmers and landowners in southwest Victoria will learn from taking part in a new pilot project, Testing the Waters – Resilient Farm Dams in a Changing Climate.

The project aims to help make their farms and dams more resilient in the face of increasing variability under climate change by improving water security and quality, while also reducing emissions and protecting our important biodiversity.

Over the next three years, Corangamite CMA project officers, and Landcare facilitators from the region (funded by the Victorian Government Landcare Facilitator Program), will support landholders through the program to enhance their farm dams and take steps to develop a water stewardship plan.

In partnership with Landcare, Corangamite CMA will be building water stewardship through workshops, field days, water quality testing, small scale incentives, one-on-one site visits, aerial maps and property planning.

The pilot follows reports from Landcare networks in the Corangamite CMA area of increasing landholder interest in better managing dams.

While water security is often the driver for these enquiries, our Landcare partners recognise the multiple benefits of enhancing a farm dam and the value of landholder water stewardship plans.

“Within the Lismore area there is a strong interest in preserving farm dams, particularly for agricultural purposes and drought resilience,” said Lismore Land Protection Group facilitator Sarah McMaster, whose role is funded by the Victorian Government Landcare Facilitator Program.

“At the same time, there’s growing enthusiasm for enhancing these dams to support biodiversity and improve overall ecosystem health.”

Ecologists from Australian National University’s (ANU) Sustainable Farms initiative hosted a field day attended by 40 people at Colac to launch the project in February.

Landcare facilitators and Corangamite CMA staff, who have been trained by the ANU team, will be visiting properties and compiling aerial imagery, vegetation maps and contour maps to highlight areas prone to inundation, along with natural and built water assets.

Using this information, the water stewardship plans will guide on ground actions such as revegetation, water quality testing, nutrient management and fencing. Participants are eligible for a $2000 grant to help implement these works.

This year’s cohort of 15 landholders will be followed by another 15 next year.

Kristen Lees is a Project Officer for Corangamite CMA.

For more information email kristen.lees@ccma.vic.gov.au or to register your interest in taking part next year at ccma.vic.gov.au/projects/testing-the-waters.