Dwarf Fortress Bridge Drain: A Comprehensive Guide

In Dwarf Fortress, managing water flow is an essential aspect of designing a successful fortress. One crucial task is building a bridge drain, which allows you to control and redirect water in your underground tunnels. In this article, we'll explore two methods for building a bridge drain: one for rivers and another for brooks.

Building a Bridge Drain for Rivers

To build a bridge drain for a river, follow these steps:

1. Construct floors over the river to support screw pumps and redirect water flow.

2. Draw power from waterwheels into your rows of screw pumps.

3. Repeat the process in the exact opposite direction, some tiles away from the first row of screw pumps.

4. Channel the brook so that pumped waters can return to it.

5. Build walls to contain and direct the water exactly in the opposite direction of the stream for 15 tiles.

Building a Bridge Drain for Brooks

For a brook, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. At some point upstream, channel out a 3x2 tile from the brook and build two waterwheels that run along the water.

2. Build a wall of floodgates across the river, blocking the path of the water.

Alternative Methods

If your map freezes during winter, you can use an alternative method to build a dam:

1. Check the outmost tiles of both ends of the river.

2. Find the direction the water flows.

This method is time-consuming but effective and nearly guaranteed to work.

In conclusion, building a bridge drain in Dwarf Fortress requires careful planning and execution. By following these steps, you'll be able to control and redirect water flow in your underground tunnels, making it easier to manage your fortress's water resources.

Dwarf fortress bridge drain