Recent success in economic terms of sand-storage dams in Kenya has stimulated efforts to study options to implement similar techniques on a larger scale in other regions in sub-Saharan Africa. There are several challenges related to developing sand-storage dams. Such systems necessitate addressing issues like ownership, labor investments and siting. This paper discusses experiences in Kitui applying the dimensions of construction planning, hydrological scale and water use. Tensions between stakeholders planning the intervention and benefiting from it are indicated to clarify the questions that need to be answered. It is argued that science can contribute to development interventions aiming at implementing sand-storage techniques elsewhere by narrowing the margin of error in answering relevant questions.