Dams
New regulations for household dams
From the start of 2011 all new domestic and stock water and lifestyle dams in rural residential areas of Victoria need to be registered with rural water corporations.
The regulations came into effect on 1 January 2011.
They require property owners in rural residential areas to register with their rural water corporation any new aesthetic dam, domestic and stock dam, or plans to significantly alter existing dams before commencing any works.
However, while property owners are encouraged to register their dams, the Minister for Water Peter Walsh announced a two month period of grace until 1 March 2011 before the water corporations put formal registration programs in place.
A rural residential area is any property located within the rural living zone, green wedge zones and any residential zone as defined by Victoria’s Planning Schemes, or any property that is eight hectares (20 acres) or smaller.
You can check with your local council if your property is in a rural residential zone. Property owners can also find out what zone they live in by visiting Planning Maps Online.
People with existing dams in rural residential areas will not need to register them unless they want to significantly enlarge them.
Property owners who live outside a rural residential area (with a property size greater than eight hectares) do not need to register their domestic and stock dams.
If you require a surface water licence (take and use) or a dam construction licence then you do not need to also register your dam. Your licence application form is sufficient for the purpose of the regulation. Read more about the new regulations for household dams.
Dams are used for different purposes. The impact of dams depends on their location within a catchment, their size, evaporation rates, use and level of development in the catchment.
Dams can be located on or off waterways. A take and use licence is required for all new dams used for purposes other than domestic and stock.A construction licence is required for all dams on waterways and large dams off waterways. Licensing authorities will advise the particular licensing requirements for a proposed dam site.
These booklets are designed to help farm owners understand their responsibilities for planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining farms dams on their properties.