Timber Dams

Shallow drains once carried water quickly off this bog, drying the peat and favouring Rushes over Mosses. Timber dams were installed to slow this flow and re-wet the bog. Built from untreated larch planks, the dams are keyed into the drain banks and embedded deeply into the peat to form a tight seal. Stainless steel screws fix the planks to upright posts driven into the channel bed. A small notch directs water safely over the dam, with timber or stone below to prevent erosion from falling water. These pools raise the local water table, keeping more of the bog wet. Wet conditions favour Sphagnum moss and will reduce Rush dominance. The planks are expected to last 8-10 years. By then, vegetation and organic matter will have filled the drains, blocking them naturally.