Dams

thumb|upright=1.75|The Edersee Dam in [[Hesse, Germany]] A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability. Hydropower is often used in conjunction with dams to generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect or store water which can be evenly distributed between locations. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodga

hydroelectric energy storage station using two water reservoirs connected with a pump and a turbine

thumb|280px|upright|Chute spillway of Llyn Brianne dam in [[Wales]]

thumb|right|300px|Tokyo floodgates created to protect from [[typhoon surges]]

thumb|The superstructure of Kurobe Dam in Japan rests on opposing concrete abutments thumb|Abutment for a large steel arch bridge thumb|Brick abutment supporting disused tramway over the Yass River in [[Yass, New South Wales]] thumb|right|Cream (colour)|Cream-colored concrete abutment gives vertical support to both the small iron rail bridge and earthen fill of the bridge approach embankment at Old Town Station Staten Island Railway - Staten Island, New York

specific type of floodgate, designed to prevent a storm surge or spring tide from flooding the protected area behind the barrier

catastrophic channeling in earth dams caused by water flow

300px|thumb|right|A coupure where the A2 motorway (Netherlands)|A2 motorway crosses the Diefdijk ([[Hollandic Water Line) in the Netherlands.]] thumb|right|A coupure with a shed for storing the materials used to close the coupure in Het Hogeland

type of weir

type of radial arm floodgate

organization

thumb|310x310px|Mountain Carmel Mill Dam A mill dam (International English) or milldam (US) is a dam constructed on a waterway to create a mill pond.

structure housing sluice gates, valves, or pumps for a dam

vertical tubular structure for capturing water from reservoirs