Check dams

Check dams are small dams or weirs constructed across a drainage ditch, swale, or channel to lower the speed of concentrated flows for a certain design range of storm events and to promote infiltration.

Check dams:

• may be constructed of any resilient and waterproof material, including: rock gabions, earth berms, coarse aggregate or rip-rap, concrete, metal or pre-treated timber. Rocks used in check dams should have median diameter 25 - 75 mm.
• for enhanced swales may be up to 0.6 m in height; the maximum design depth of ponded water should be ≤ 0.6 m.
• designed for higher flow velocities should have spillways incorporated into their profile, to direct water to the centre of the swale.
• are usually installed between 10-20 m along the swale. The spacing of dams should not exceed the horizontal distance from the toe of the upstream dam to the same elevation on the downstream dam.
• should have energy dissipation and erosion control measures installed in the 1 - 2 m downstream. Examples include large aggregate or turf reinforcement

Sizing and spacing of check dams

Check dams: Sizing

Gallery

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  Enhanced swale with rocky check dams and a metal overflow grate in Northgate Mall parking lot, Seattle. Photo credit: MLSmith

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  Bioswale with rock check dams to slow down the water, encouraging infiltration. Note the biodegradable erosion control blanket still in place. LSRCA headquarters, 2017

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  Concrete check dam with armourstone to protect against erosion. Concrete colour blends well with surrounding stone. This dam extends to the full depth of the swale and has 25 mm ø weep holes below grade.

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  A check dam in action, effectively pooling water.

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  A swale during a rain event, with concrete check dams and armourstone to slow down moving water to promote infiltration in the feature.

Also see Jen's Pinterest board of check dams

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

A long narrow trench or furrow dug in the ground, as for irrigation, drainage, or a boundary line.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

The slow movement of water into or through a soil or drainage system.

Penetration of water through the ground surface.

A broad category of particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates, and available in various particulate size gradations.

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

Includes the protection of soil from dislocation by water, wind or other agents.

Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

(1) The wearing away of the land surface by moving water, wind, ice or other geological agents, including such processes as gravitation creep; (2) Detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity (i.e. Accelerated, geological, gully, natural, rill, sheet, splash, or impact, etc).