Importance of the Construction of the Check Dams

A Dam is a natural or man-made structure built across a large water body to hold the water back and prevent it from flowing and can be used to store water, prevent flooding and generate electricity.

What are Check Dams?

Check dams are generally small dams constructed across drains, ditches, swale channels, or waterways to lessen the total velocity of the water flow and prevent soil erosion. Check dam construction is an old way of storing rushing water in a specific location.

Stone, sandbags filled with pea gravel, or logs can all be used to construct a check dam. Cement concrete check dams, boulder check dams, and gabion check dams are the three types of check dams that are generally used.

Why may Check Dams be used?

Check dam helps to collect water in a particular area by stopping the flow of water from passing through a channel, stream, or other waterways. This water storage enhances surface water penetration into groundwater through rainfall and reduces erosion by retaining transported sediments and inhibiting downstream transit.

Check Dams may be used in the following cases:

1. In order to reduce flow in small temporary pipes that are currently degrading,
2. Because of the transient nature of the problem, permanent stabilization is not possible.
3. For the reduction of flow in small eroding channels that can't be lined on a timely basis due to delays in construction or weather conditions.

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