Check dams require regular maintenance as typically temporary structures not designed to withstand long-term use. Dams should be inspected every week and after heavy rainfall. It is important that rubble, litter, and leaves are removed from the upstream side of the dam. This is typically done when the sediment has reached a height of one-half the original height of the dam.
When the site is permanently stabilized and the check dam is no longer needed, it is fully removed, including components washed downstream, and bare spots are stabilized.