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
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A dam is a barrier built to stop or slow the flow of water in rivers or streams. Dams create reservoirs that help prevent flooding, supply water for drinking and irrigation, enable hydroelectric power generation, and allow water to be stored and distributed to different areas.
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51 sectionsContents
- History
- Ancient dams
- Roman engineering
- Middle Ages
- Industrial Revolution
- Modern era
- Types
- By structure
- Arch dams
- Gravity dams
- Arch-gravity dams
- Barrages
- Embankment dams
- Fixed-crest dams
- By size
- Large dams
- Small dams
- Non-jurisdictional dams
- By use
- Saddle dam
- Weir
- Check dam
- Dry dam
- Diversionary dam
- Underground dam
- Tailings dam
- By material
- Steel dams
- Timber dams
- Other types
- Cofferdams
- Natural dams
- Beaver dams
- Construction elements
- Power generation plant
- Spillways
- Creation
- Common purposes
- Location
- Impact assessment
- Environmental impact
- Human social impact
- Economics
- Reservoir and dam improvements
- Dam removal
- Failure
- See also
- Notes
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
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 floodgates or levees (also known as dikes) are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions.
The word dam can be traced back to Middle English, and before that, from Middle Dutch, as seen in the names of many old cities, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam.