spillways

A spillway is a passage or channel that allows excess water from a dam, lake, or reservoir to flow out and down into another body of water. It's like a safety valve for the water.

When we talk about a spillway, we're usually thinking about how it helps control the level of water in a big man-made structure like a dam. Imagine you're visiting a park near a big lake, and you notice that there are rocks and plants leading down from the side of the lake to the bottom. That's probably a spillway! Engineers design these channels to direct excess water safely away from homes, farms, or other areas where it might cause problems. If the level of water gets too high, the excess flows through the spillway, reducing pressure on the dam and preventing flooding downstream.