Dam Reservoir

Dam showing Fish Ladders and Spillway

One of the problems with water is that we never seem to get the right amount in the right place at the right time. Engineers use water management control structures to protect against flooding, reduce erosion and store water for later use.

There are many different kinds of control structures. One of the most common systems includes a dam, reservoir and spillway. The dam permits river flow to be controlled, with water stored for later use in the reservoir. The spillway allows high flows to be released without damaging the dam. A properly designed dam system ‘smoothes out’ the hydrograph and keeps river flow at a constant and safe level. Dams can be constructed with ‘ladders’ to help migrating fish pass the barrier.

EXPLORE: St. Joseph River Project