We explain what a dam is, its component parts and how it is classified. Also, differences with dike and reservoir.
What is a dam?
A dam is a structure that has as objective divert or stop the Water, or both, to take advantage of it or prevent it from causing harm.
It consists of a dike or wall that is built perpendicular to the riverbed. The diverted water can be used for irrigation, electricity generation, fish farming, sightseeing, navigation, industrial or human consumption. They are also built as a result of torrential rains to prevent flooding in areas near a river.
They are built with concrete, stone or loose materials and are designed by civil engineers.
Differences with dike, dam and reservoir
Dam, dam, reservoir and dam are related terms but have different meanings:
- Dam and dam. Both words are synonyms and they are used to mention those constructions that divert or stop a stream of water.
- Dam. It consists of a wall that stops the passage of water, it can be a human construction or a product of nature. This wall, which may or may not be part of a dam, is located parallel or perpendicular to the current of the water it contains.
- Reservoir. It is the water that is accumulated as a result of the construction of a dam, or the result of the existence of a natural dam. This stagnant water is shallow and its bottom is muddy.
Parts of a dam
Dams or dams have different parts. They are:
- Curtain. Also called "dam", it is the construction as a whole.
- Coronation. The top of the frame.
- Faces, parameters or slopes. The two vertical constructions that are in contact with the water and determine the space of the dam.
- Floodgates. Those in charge of regulating the flow of water that passes through the dam.
- Stirrups. The structures that delimit the sides of the wall or dike.
- Dump. The part that removes excess water when the dam is full.
- Tomas. The structures that obtain the water from the dam, which will later have different uses.
Dam types
Dams can be classified according to different criteria. Some of them are:
- According to its use:
- Retention dams. These constructions allow the passage of water and their objective is to contain solid materials that are transported by torrents.
- Storage dams. They are used to store water that is then used for irrigation, generation of electric power, human or industrial consumption. They are also constructions that are made to form artificial lagoons for recreational purposes.
- Bypass dams. They are used to raise the water level and thus derive it.
- Avenue control dams. They are designed to laminate the flow of torrential avenues and prevent the river from overflowing in strong storms and ruining the surrounding land.
- Tailings dams. They are designed for the retention of solid loose or liquids discarded by mining. These remains are stored in glasses to later be decanted.
- According to its composition:
- Heterogeneous. They are built with different materials.
- Homogeneous. They are built from a single material: marl, clay or sandy clay.
- According to the way they were built:
- Sedimentation. They are the result of natural sedimentation after the material has been thrown into the desired space. In this case, compaction is achieved naturally.
- Mechanical compaction. These constructions have an embankment whose height is obtained after compacting different layers with mechanical equipment.
- According to the structure:
- Dam gravity. They are highly resistant floor constructions since their weight must resist the pressure of the water. They require little maintenance and last a long time. They are characterized by being inclined upwards, so the weight of the water on the construction increases its stability.
- Arch or vault dam. They are modern constructions and require little concrete. Own design of the construction resists the force of the water, which is concentrated on its resistant slopes.
- According to the base on which they are built:
- On a waterproof mantle.
- On a permeable layer.
Examples of dams
The Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric dam is a great work of Russian architecture.
Some of the best known dams in the world are:
- Itaipu Dam. It is located between Paraguay and Brazil, on the Paraná River. Its construction began in the 1970s.
- Dam of the three gorges. It is located in China, on the Yangtze River and construction began in 1994.
- Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam. Located in Russia, it is located on the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk (Khakassia) and construction began in 1963.
- Xiangjiaba Dam. Also located in China, this dam is on the Jinsha River and construction began in 2004.
- Guri dam. Located in Venezuela, on the Caroni River, this dam began to be built in 1986.
- Krasnoyarsk Dam. It is located in Russia and is the eighth largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Construction began in 1956, on the banks of the Yenisei River.
- Grand Coulee Dam. Construction began in the United States in 1933, on the Columbia River.
- Tucuruí Dam. It was built in 1975, on the Tocantins river, in Brazil.
- Xiluodu dam. It is located in China, on the Jinsha River and is one of the three largest in the world. Construction began in 2005.
- Longtan Dam. It is located on the Hongshui River, in Tian’e (China) and construction began in 2007.