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[Carsonjo]

Alright. So, I've spent 2 years in my current fort and so far I've been doing ok. However, I've severely underestimated my dwarves ability to guzzle down hundreds of units of booze in a very short amount of time. I embarked in a temperate climate thinking "Oh, it'll be fine. It's only frozen for 1 season, I'll have enough booze!" 3 died the first year, around 5 the second.

Now, I've finally decided to build a cistern, thinking it'd be relatively simple to do. I started in winter, figuring the best way to avoid my miner dying would be to open the tunnel while it's frozen. I underestimated how long digging a tunnel halfway across the map would take. I also don't know if I can survive the next winter without a cistern, so it needs to be done before winter. While the water's still liquid.

So I imagine you can see my problem. I have to send a dwarf to his/her death, but I need the pick. I imagine having a corpse floating around the cistern probably isn't the best idea either. So prevent future "accidents" aside from this one, it'd probably be best if I build a drainage system. However, being as new to the game as I am, I have no idea how.

My cistern is 16x16, 2 levels deep. I don't have an aquifer, so routing it to that and having it absorb the water isn't an option. I also can't dump it into the caverns because I haven't opened them yet and I don't want to open them yet. Also, if for whatever reason I have no idea what I'm talking about and I actually don't need a drainage system, please enlighten me as to why. Thanks.

[shevtsov200]

Maybe I am wrong, but I think you can build floodgate in the tunnel and when you will have enough water close it.

[Carsonjo]

That's not the problem, I don't think. I need to get the water out of the cistern, unless the body won't be moved by the flow, but I don't think that's how it works. If for whatever reason the cistern, the large body of water under my meeting hall, gets contaminated, I need to empty it. But I don't know what to do with the water from there. I imagine a fortification in the drainage tunnel might catch any items or bodies in the water, but where do I dump all this excess water?

I have no aquifer to absorb it and I don't want to try to open the caverns. I don't know what to do.

[Panando]

You don't need to have the ability to drain the cistern. If you want to anyway for some reason, the cheapest solution is to install a door in the cistern (just up against some random wall) and link the door to a lever. Setting the lever to repeat will cause the door to open and close rapidly, atom-smashing the water out of existence. It's fast.

There is no need to lose a miner.... there are several ways of piercing a body of water (or magma) without endangering a miner's life. The most common is to channel from above to open the final tile and connect the river and shaft. In some cases 'dig and run' is safe, but not with rivers. 'Dig and run' is safe with rivers if you dig a diagonal connection (but that will take a LONG time to fill the cistern). Speaking of diagonal connections, make sure the cistern is only connected to the river-shaft via a diagonal otherwise the river will flood your fortress (see water pressure).

Another extremely safe way to extract water is to use a pump. A pump only requires a block, pipe section and corkscrew, all can be built at a carpenters workshop. The pump can be powered by a dwarf. Once you have enough water, you just stop pumping. It's often the most convenient and safe way to get water (or magma) to where you want it. You must use a pump if getting water from a murky pool (or ocean), because the pump purifies the water.

It's also remarkably safe to dig an up/down stairs to below the river, then dig a downstairs in the river bed (it will be dug from below), the miner will then exit through the downstairs and climb up the ramp out of the river (because the river is draining, it will be less than 7/7 deep). Up/down stairs connections are thus much safer than horizontal connections.

[Carsonjo]

It's indeed a river, and I'm not using a diagonal because of how far it is. In regards to the pump, which I haven't looked at until now, it pumps upwards and forwards, so could I build it on the surface next to the river, then channel out a space leading into the tunnel next to the pump (where the water would come out) and safely move it back down? Or would it spill over?

[Panando]

It's indeed a river, and I'm not using a diagonal because of how far it is. In regards to the pump, which I haven't looked at until now, it pumps upwards and forwards, so could I build it on the surface next to the river, then channel out a space leading into the tunnel next to the pump (where the water would come out) and safely move it back down? Or would it spill over?

It will normally spill but you can use constructed walls around the outlet to force the water down, like this:

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[Carsonjo]

Alright, thanks for the help!

[Bumber]

I don't have an aquifer, so routing it to that and having it absorb the water isn't an option. I also can't dump it into the caverns because I haven't opened them yet and I don't want to open them yet.

Drain it off the side of the map (via carved fortification.)

[greycat]

You don't need an exit drain for your cistern at all.  If you really want one, you can build just the beginning of one (a short tunnel leading away from the cistern), install a floodgate there, then finish the job later (from the dry side).

All of my river- or brook-fed cisterns just use a diagonal tunnel on the filling level to stop the pressure, so the water doesn't shoot up through the wells.  That's all.

[Merendel]

I kinda hate to be that guy but why are you going to all this effort to make a cistern so your dwarves do not die of thirst over the winter when you could just make more booze? 
Build a 3x3 farm plot on a soil layer and set it to plump helmets all 4 seasons, build an extra plot every 50-75 dwarves or so. (depends on farmer's skill)
Build a bunch of rock pots at a craftsdwarf shop
Set brew drink at the still to repeat.  Either reenable this whenever it cancles due to lack of materials or order a few hundred drinks through the manager.

Your dwarves will be up to their eyeballs in booze and in no danger of dieing of thirst.  Also far less likely to die of drowning during the inevitable FUN that results of poping your water pressure cherry.  Your dwarves will also be much happier drinking the booze.

[ancistrus]

Definitely make that cistern. One never plans to have a shortage of booze, but it may happen, so be prepared.

[Duuvian]

You need a water source for medical reasons too. Injured dwarves only drink water.

[Merendel]

You need a water source for medical reasons too. Injured dwarves only drink water.

This is true but you rarely need a huge cistern for that.  OP was talking about a fort wide dryspell which shouldnt be an issue with proper booze management.  and my idea of being prepared for a booze shortage is to ensure I have a 10 year stockpile built up.  we've got 10,000 drinks stockpiled? better order up a few more.