The leaky dams are built using wooden posts in gullies on the hillside, leading to a rise in the water table, which help to reduce the risk of moorland fires.
The dams can also be made using stone, heather or peat.
The re-wetting of the moors by creating the dams also helps to preserve habitats for wading birds such as the Dunlin, the Golden Plover and the Lapwing.
Freya Bowden, a Master’s student who is studying moorland management at the University of Manchester, said: “The dams slow down the water, so it doesn’t reach the catchment areas downstream as quickly and that can prevent flooding.”
“The recent wildfires have been awful but by re-wetting the peat lands we are improving bio-diversity and helping to mitigate the spread of the flames”, added the 22 year-old.