What are Floodgates?
Floodgates are devices that are designed to allow for the controlled flow of water from various types of water systems. The floodgate is a common component in all sorts of systems ranging from reservoirs, dams, and spillways. Essentially, any human constructed system that is used to control the level and flow of water in a river, lake, or stream will be equipped with some type of floodgate. The exact design of floodgates will vary, depending on the overall design of the dam or spillway. In some cases, the main function of the floodgates is to direct the flow of water from one section of the water system to another. At other times, the floodgates operate as a means of lowering the water level of the section of river or lake that is found behind a dam or spillway. This is often an important function that can be used to lower the amount of pressure on the dam or reservoir when rain or melting snow has generated an amount of water in the system than is considered desirable or safe. While t
