Floodgates, also called
stop gates, are adjustable gates used to control water flow in
flood barriers,
reservoir,
river,
stream, or
levee systems. They may be designed to set
spillway crest heights in
dams, to adjust flow rates in
sluices and
canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or
storm surge system. Since most of these devices operate by controlling the water surface elevation being stored or routed, they are also known as
crest gates. In the case of flood bypass systems, floodgates sometimes are also used to lower the water levels in a main river or canal channels by allowing more water to flow into a flood bypass or
detention basin when the main river or canal is approaching a flood stage.