What Is A Dam?

A dam refers to a blockage built across a flowing water body, most often a river, to regulate flow or get the water to a higher level. The water body that is regulated by the structure is also called as a dam. Dams differ in their sizes varying from small bunds for agricultural use to huge, gigantic concretised constructions used to generate supply of water, electricity, irrigation. They are also used for navigational and recreational purposes. Dams are thus keystones in the expansion of water resources of rivers.

Nowadays, dams have become multipurpose. A lot of relocation of resources needs to be undertaken before building a dam. Highways, railway tracks as well as homes need to be cleared to build dams.

In a general context, the word dam is used to denote a hindrance or a barrier to something. It can also be used as a verb, which means to stop or bar something. For example, "she tried to dam her sorrow".