If a sand dam or subsurface dam is properly built, it only requires little or no major maintenance (RAIN n.y.; VSF 2006). According to NISSEN-PETERSEN (2006) Sand dams require careful maintenance, and immediate repair, if necessary, as flooding causes hundreds of tonnes of water to fall over the dam wall and onto the spill-over apron. Floodwater may also spill over and erode the wing walls and, perhaps, even over the riverbanks during heavy rains.
In contrast to sand dams, subsurface dams do are not exposed to forces of floods, since the dam is below ground (VSF 2006).