Dams: Glossary

B

barrier

anything that blocks something from moving

buttress

wall

C

canyon

a steep sided valley caused by the movement of river water

complex

complicated

concrete

stone-like material used for construction

E

earthen

made of earth materials such as rocks, sand, soil

engineers

a person trained to design construction

F

flooding

excess water

foundation

the underlying base

G

generator

a machine or device that turns mechanical energy into electricity

glacial ice

ice found in glaciers

H

horizontal

level with the ground

hydroelectric

electricity created with the use of water

I

ingenuity

cleverness or creativity in problem-solving

irrigation

water moved from one place to another to grow crops

K

keyways

grooves

L

landslides

land that shifts or slides due to water, earthquakes or other events

N

notches

grooves

P

potential energy

the stored energy that an object or substance has because of its position or state

pressure

pushing

R

recreation

activities done for fun - swimming, skiing, fishing

regulated

to control or direct

renewable

able to be replenished over time; cannot be used up

reservoir

a body of water that builds up behind a dam

S

sediment

the rock, sand and dirt that are carried by a river

spillway

a structure or channel designed to release water from behind a dam

T

turbines

a machine used to create electricity through the use of moving water