We normally build a dam to hold water back and store it for use in water supply, irrigation, hydropower, or flood control ... every dam needs a spillway to safely discharge water.

A drone panoramic view of Oroville Dam and main spillway at Lake Oroville in Butte County, Calif. Photo taken March 11, 2025.

The construction makes the spillway even larger than before. "The wings on the side were at least 18 inches, this one is just a little narrower, the walls are 10 feet on the inside," said President of ...

Photo / Paul Taylor Wairoa A&P Society’s president says there’s a feeling of sadness that the town’s showgrounds will be lost to a flood spillway. A revised plan for the Wairoa flood ...