In my experience the game currently works the best if you start your base from the starting position the games give you. So if you don't like your starting position, look for a nice one by restarting some times. That is what I do. Than you can have a spot 'close' to water and the mountain. Also each spring new settelers will go to your starting resource zone/location (at the moment). So its just good to start from there. Dwarfs will do a task that is close by. So give them a order far a way can take time before they do it. I hope this will help.