Connecticut Water Trails Program

Dams

Uses Of Dams

Dams are usually built for one or more of the following reasons:

To provide a supply of water for towns, cities and mining sites

To contain and store waste (tailings) from mines.

To provide a supply of water for the irrigation of crops.

To generate electricity in hydro-electric power stations.

To help control or mitigate floods.

Many dams are multipurpose and most dams have at least some flood mitigation effect in addition to their primary purpose. Dams built specifically for flood control may have some of their storage capacity kept empty during normal river flow conditions so that space is available to store excess water inflow under flood conditions. The flood mitigation effect of a dam is such that the downstream river height at the peak of the flood is reduced but, after the peak has passed, the river levels usually remain high for a longer period than would have been the case if the dam had not been built. This is because excess flood water is only stored behind the dam temporarily and is slowly released from the dam in the days and weeks after the flood peak has passed.

Please Send Feedback To Connecticut Water Trails Association

© 2010 Connecticut Water Trails Association