Australia’s multi-award winning dam design, construction and repair company

check out our work
Big Ditch Dam Building Company Man enjoying dam

“From our first meeting with Angus on-site where we talked about our vision for the new dam that we wanted him to construct for us and his input at that meeting we knew he was the best choice to do the job.

The job had its challenges but Angus and the team kept at it and we developed a really good working relationship continually communicating with each other and working through the process as the job progressed.

If you just want a hole in the ground then Big Ditch is not the company for you, but if you want a water holding solution that sits naturally in the environment and will be a feature of your property for generations then this company is the best choice to deliver a stand out solution”

Geoff Hooper / NSW

BIG DITCH DESIGNS WATER

Clean lines. Organic shapes. Inviting vistas

THE FUTURE OF WATER

IS BEAUTIFUL

BEST-DAM-BUILDING-CO-Construction-Engineering-Awards-London-2022
BEST-WATER-SECURITY-Australian-Enterprise-Awards-Melbourne-2022
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DAM-BUILDER-OF-THE-YEAR-International-Elite-100-London-2022
Andrew Evans Polymer Innovations

WARNING!

Does your dam leak?

On the right is Andrew Evans of Polymer Innovations

Mr Evans has threatened to sue us twice for having a negative opinion about his product ‘Water$ave.

If your dam is leaking, Mr Evans doesn’t want you to know what we think about his product’s effectiveness.

Read our opinion
Big Ditch Dam Building Company outstretched hand over dam

Site inspections

I charge $500+gst to do a full 90 minute site inspection and assessment of your new dam site, or your dam repair.

That small investment will save you thousands of dollars

You get knowledge, experience and expertise gained from 30 years experience doing one thing – building earth dams – from the person who has built more earth dams than anyone else in Australia.

FIND OUT MORE

Book a site inspection today

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HAVE A PROJECT IN MIND?

GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY

HELLO
Big Ditch Dam Building Company man with hand in dam fixed price dam building contract

What makes us special?

We are the only professional dam builders in Australia who offer fixed price contracts.

We pioneered fixed price contracts because we’ve never heard of a contractor who charges by the hour – come in under budget 

Charging by the hour is advantageous to contractors. Not you

Fixed price?  No problem

  • $500 + GST site inspection & assessment
  • $2,750 + GST dam design
  • $10,000 + GST per megalitre (1-4 mgl)
  • $6,000 + GST per megalitre (5-20 mgl)
  • $5,000 + GST per megalitre (21-100 mgl)
  • $4,000 + GST per megalitre (101+ mgl)
find out more

BLOG

Top 5 Signs Your Dam Needs Refurbishment and How We Can Help

Dams play a vital role in managing water resources, supporting irrigation, and generating power. They are strong structures, but they can weaken over time due to natural wear and tear ...

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How To Ensure Your Dam Construction Meets All Regulatory Requirements

Natural swimming pools, praised for their eco-friendliness and aesthetic appeal, face challenges like maintenance complexity, higher initial costs, design and space limitations, water quality issues, climate dependency, and wildlife attraction. ...

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The 7 Problems With Natural Swimming Pools

Natural swimming pools, praised for their eco-friendliness and aesthetic appeal, face challenges like maintenance complexity, higher initial costs, design and space limitations, water quality issues, climate dependency, and wildlife attraction. ...

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Which States of Australia are Most Likely to be Affected by Drought?

Australia grapples with recurrent droughts, impacting states differently due to factors like climate patterns, rainfall, temperature, and agricultural methods. Despite its diverse landscapes and wildlife, the nation faces significant drought ...

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How Heatwaves, Droughts, Wildfires, and Floods Are Made Worse by Climate Change

The article discusses how climate change exacerbates heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods. Rising temperatures, altered jet streams, feedback loops, and urban heat islands intensify heatwaves. Changes in precipitation patterns, evaporation ...

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New Research Reveals Environmental Threats Posed by Mine Tailings in Protected Areas

New research from the University of Queensland reveals that a significant portion of the world's mine tailings, about one-third, poses environmental threats to protected areas. Led by Bora Aska, the ...

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What Are the 15 Types of Dams?

Dams, the silent giants of engineering, stand tall, serving specific purposes across the globe. These crucial structures, designed for water resource management, flood control, and power generation, come in various ...

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Debunking the Effectiveness of Superabsorbent Polymers in Dam Repairs

In the world of dam repairs, superabsorbent polymers have their place but are far from being a universal solution. Dams play a crucial role in water security management, providing water ...

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Big Ditch Dam Building Co DAMS101 eBook Cover
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DAM FIX cover3d-1243449-3
ECO DAMS cover3d-1243491-3
BENTONITE cover3d-1249121-3
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Resources for the Self-Builder

At Big Ditch, we are committed to empowering dam self builders with knowledge and expertise. Our ebook collection serves as a valuable resource hub for all your dam construction needs. So, whether you’re embarking on a small-scale project or dreaming of a larger, more ambitious dam, we’ve got you covered.

Browse our ebook collection today and take the first step towards building your own remarkable dam. Start your journey with Big Ditch and let our expertise be your guide.

 
Specialist Dam Building ebooks
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Last month, the 435 photos of our projects were viewed 29,755 times*

We not only build stunning water features, we take pretty pictures of them too

*Google verified

Projects

BIG TOOLS

Farmgoods. Hardware. Tools. 

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Big Ditch Dam Building Company coloured logo

WINNER

2021 INTERNATIONAL M&A AWARDS

BEST GLOBAL DAM BUILDING COMPANY

SAY HELLO

Innovation & Excellence

At Big Ditch, we understand that positive ecological change and success are the result of persistence, and commitment to our beliefs about water security.

We are delighted that we were named as the winner of the 2021 Global Climate Change Innovation and Excellence Awards.

This is another step in our long journey towards becoming the best eco-friendly dam building company in the world

Lindsey Angus Hughson
Chairman & CEO. Big Ditch Group
Big Ditch Dam Building Company office boardroom with table and chairs
Big Ditch Dam Building Company winner Corporate America Today Best Dam Building Company 2021 02

FEATURED PUBLICATIONS

Beautiful water plants stop 90% of evaporation losses

And they give you cleaner water

Big Ditch Dam Company. Pink lillies in dam
Big Ditch Dam Company. Pink lotuses in dam
Big Ditch Dam Company. Lillies in dam at sunset

We advise dam owners about organic evaporation solutions using our unique nature-based biomimicry strategies

They are both are indulgent & wasteful

The 2010 Hummer H2 on the left gets 3.8 kilometres per litre – and it indulgently wastes valuable natural resources.

The dam on the right loses 3% of it’s total volume every day, and will lose it’s total volume three times over every year due to the effect of evaporation on its naked water surface.

It’s wastes Australia’s most valuable resource.

Water.

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Empty dry outback dam

How close to disaster do we need to be before we act?

Australia November 2019 | Australia’s worst ever drought

When one of Australia’s largest power stations wanted to stop evaporation losses from their two massive dams – Big Ditch introduced them to shade balls from our exclusive supplier in the U.S.A

Shade balls are small plastic spheres floated on top of a reservoir. They reduce evaporation losses by up to 90% – and prevent sunlight from causing reactions among chemical compounds present in the water.

In 2014 and 2015, our US shade ball partner put 96 million shade balls onto Los Angeles’ largest reservoir. The balls saved 1.7 million cubic metres of water from evaporating during their deployment from August 2015 to March 2017.

96,000,000
Shade balls deployed

1.7 billion
Litres of water saved

$34.5 million
Cost

Big Ditch Dam Company. Shade balls for dams

We also advise the mining, oil, gas, power  industries & major infrastructure projects

We provide streamlined water practice advice & manufactured evaporation management solutions to enable excellence in corporate water stewardship

BET ON EXPERIENCE

To be great at something, you must do it every day

We have over 30 years experience in dam building, and we are the industry leader in the art of earth dam construction

30
Years of experience

 

323
Dam engagements

 

31,800
Machine Hours

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Sienna Grange Dam Restoration front entrance

CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS

When Australian Unity needed  water design advice

THEY TALKED TO US

 

Visual water design for corporate brands

Australian Unity operate 19 upmarket resort style retirement communities up and down the east coast of Australia.

Their residents are sophisticated and stylish people who appreciate the serenity of beautiful water features.

When the installation at Sienna Grange needed an upgrade, we worked closely with senior management on the opportunity to create spectacular visual highlight for their landscape design.

And it all starts with the mood board that defines what success looks like.

 

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Sienna Grange dam design mood board
DESIGN PORTFOLIO
Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Sienna Grange original dam

Australia Unity | Sienna Grange

Before

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Sienna Grange dam design concept

Australia Unity | Sienna Grange

Proposed

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. BHP Chile tailings dam
EVAPORATION MANAGEMENT

BHP COPPER MINE CHILE

When BHP wanted to more accurately record the evaporation losses from their Chile tailings dam, we talked to them about all the new alternatives

CORPORATE CONSULTING

Water is important to BHP

BHP were looking for technological solutions to monitor water losses in their Chile tailings dam more frequently and accurately, in order to improve the accuracy of the water balance.

BHP’s challenge to us was to suggest a better way to measure evaporation – because when we did that, we could better quantify the real impact of the of water losses – and generate a baseline for management to make better decisions.

This solution could then be applied to all tailings dam around the world.

That’s a huge innovation for the global mining industry

Read more here

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Robert Oatley Olives olive groves at Gulgong before dam 1500px

CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS

Robert Oatley Olives are obsessed with perfection

SO THEY TALKED TO US

 

Robert Oatley Olives make the world’s best olive oil

The Oatley family own Hamilton Island, so they know quality.

And their Olive Oil operation at Gulgong NSW continues that heritage.

When they wanted their old leaking dam to be something they were proud of, we pushed the design boundaries of what was capable in the harsh surrounding geography that is so suitable for growing premium olives.

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Robert Oatley Olives promo ad
design portfolio
Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Original dam at Robert Oatley Olives

Robert Oatley Olives | Gulgong NSW

Before

 

Big Ditch Dam Building Company. Dam concept for Robert Oatley Olives

Robert Oatley Olives | Gulgong NSW

Proposed