In Dwarf Fortress, aquifers pose significant challenges. They leak water continuously when mined through by dwarves. While they can be manipulated with proper strategies, the primary function often turns out to be mercilessly reminding players that they are perpetually at risk of flooding their fortifications.

Dwarf Fortress co-creator Tarn Adams shared during an interview at GDC 2025 that the fear of aquifers still haunts him, even after over two decades of developing the game. “I’m terrified of heavy aquifers,” Tarn admitted. After I mentioned that I have played since high school and aimed to conquer my fears before hitting 40, he expressed uncertainty about handling heavier aquifers.

“I can manage light aquifers, but the heavy ones? They cause chaos,” he admitted.

His apprehension parallels the struggles of many players, who remain deeply affected by the complex water management in the game.

Light aquifers may be troublesome if ignored, but heavy variants lead to floods that escalate quickly, creating existential threats for players. Tarn recalls that when he first introduced heavy aquifers, he had concerns over whether players could devise effective strategies to deal with them.

“That was one of those ones where I was like, ‘Just let them figure it out.’” To his surprise, players not only successfully devised solutions within a short period but also proliferated their methods, making him hesitant to adjust that aspect of the game later.

“The light aquifer is more my speed. I can just put some walls up or whatever, and it’s fine. Heavy aquifers, I left them for the crazies.” Tarn noted.

His commentary reflects the broader philosophy behind Dwarf Fortress: providing players with choices that both challenge and engage them without forcing difficult scenarios upon them.

As he stated: “Part of the problem is we are just not good at video games,” referring to himself and his brother Zach Adams, the co-creator of Dwarf Fortress.

Exciting challenges await, but for now, Tarn plans to focus on keeping his dwarves safe above all.