Dam, Weir & River

Safe play areas

While it is not always practical to fence off large bodies of water on farms and regional properties, i.e., dams or rivers, creating a safe play area away from these hazards is a great way to help reduce the risk of drowning and provide kids with a place to explore and have fun.

When setting up a safe play area, it should:

• Be close to the home and clearly visible 
• Be securely fenced with a self-closing and latching gate
• Be away from hazards such as dams, animals, machinery, and vehicles
• Have shade as well as a range of fun and interesting things for children to do

Ash and Matt know just how dangerous dams can be. In 2020, their 2-year-old son, Hunter, was happily feeding horses on a farm when he silently fell into a nearby dam and drowned.

Please note, that this story can be triggering and difficult to water watch, so only do so if you are in a safe place with support.

Weirs Safety 

Weirs are built for purposes that include measuring stream flow, developing river aesthetics, and managing upstream water levels for the purposes of water diversion or pumping.

A submerged hydraulic pump means that the water on the downstream side of the weir is travelling upstream. It’s in this reverse-flow section of the weir, or the entrapment zone, where people and objects can become trapped