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 …

Dec 12, 2025 · dam, structure built across a stream, a river, or an estuary to retain water. Dams are built to provide water for human consumption, for irrigating arid and semiarid lands, or for …

Jun 21, 2024 · A dam is a structure built across a stream or river to hold water back. Dams can be used to store water, control flooding, and generate electricity.

By storing and managing water flow, dams have helped improve agriculture, urban water supply, and power generation, making them critical for economic growth and disaster prevention. …

May 30, 2025 · Dams are some of the most important and fascinating structures innovated by human civilization. They help us control water, generate energy, grow food, and protect lives.

Think about your impressions of dams and the reservoirs behind them that you have seen. Large concrete dams have grandeur, and the huge lakes that they contain are often sited in …

Feb 5, 2019 · Dams provide valuable resources like hydropower and water, but they have a complicated history. Learn more about the history of dams and the role they play in shaping …

Water is one of our most precious resources; our lives depend on it. Throughout the history of humankind, people have built dams to maximize use of this vital resource. Dams provide a life …

Dec 16, 2025 · Most current dams in the United States were built in a boom of construction during the 1950’s and 1960’s, making the average dam 61 years old, according to the National …

Dams operate in a range of ways depending on their intended purpose. Two common types of dams are run-of-river dams and detention dams, also known as storage dams. The vast …