Keyline Design
Keyline Design is a broad acre land use and management system developed by Australian P.A. Yeomans and sons in the 1950s. It is each site's unique topography and geography that inform proper Keyline site layout and planning. Keyline places particular emphasis on landscape enhancement through soil building practices and the development of on-site water security.

The most notable features in a keyline-designed site are often the interconnected network of ponds (known in Australia as 'earthen' dams) that cascade across the landscape, capturing and storing rainwater for use in gravity-feed irrigation.
The term 'keyline' refers to a specific point in the landscape - the highest point where one can cost-effectively hold water. Thus, when appropriate, a pond is located at this keypoint. Then, if possible (and necessary) additional water storages can be added at lower points in the landscape. These ponds are connected by gradually sloping diversion drains which serve as overflow channels from one to the next, effectively capturing and storing all rainwater for use when needed. In dryland environments especially, where sun is abundant but rainfall is limited and infrequent, appropriately sited water storage can provide long-term security and stability to agricultural and residential developments.
The term 'keyline' refers to a specific point in the landscape - the highest point where one can cost-effectively hold water. Thus, when appropriate, a pond is located at this keypoint. Then, if possible (and necessary) additional water storages can be added at lower points in the landscape. These ponds are connected by gradually sloping diversion drains which serve as overflow channels from one to the next, effectively capturing and storing all rainwater for use when needed. In dryland environments especially, where sun is abundant but rainfall is limited and infrequent, appropriately sited water storage can provide long-term security and stability to agricultural and residential developments.