When to Use Spillway?

Spillways are a crucial part of the dam facility because once a reservoir has reached capacity and if floodwaters enter the reservoir, the water level increase could cause over-topping of the dam. When a reservoir is full, its water level will be equal to the height of the spillway.

Why is spillway constructed?

Spillways are structures built into dams to provide a controlled release of flows from a dam into the downstream area, typically in the riverbed below. ... Controlled spillways use mechanical structures or gates to control the flow of water on command, allowing for the full height of the dam to be used to store water.

What are the essential requirements of spillway?

Essential Requirements of Spillway:

The Spill way's bounding surface must be erosion resistant to withstand the high velocity flow created due to the drop in the water surface from the reservoir level upstream to the tail water level downstream to the dam.