Ive not really built any dams to control erosion, unless you define rock piles and strawbales as dams.
Instead, I've dug a number of small holes (5x5 to about 10x30 ft) to hold and clear the water entering my ponds. I also created my own wetlands a number of years ago by filling high run-off areas with oat and barley straw bales. The bales filled in with silt and vegetation. Now the water coming out of this area into the ponds is drinking water clear. I now raise horse radish, celery, WV "ramps" and strawberries in these areas, based on how much sunlight they receive each day.
This has cut my inflow of silt very considerably.
Ken
