spillway

noun

spill·way | \ ˈspil-ˌwā

How to pronounce spillway (audio)

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Definition of spillway

: a passage for surplus water to run over or around an obstruction (such as a dam)

Examples of spillway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The water entering the spillway is then channeled to the lake by guide levees. — Blake Pontchartrain, NOLA.com, "Blakeview: The Bonnet Carre Spillway was dedicated 85 years ago this month," 21 Dec. 2020 The water level of Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir, has dropped more than 130 feet since the beginning of 2000, when the lake’s surface lapped at the spillway gates on Hoover Dam. — Ian James, The Arizona Republic, "As a hotter, drier climate grips the Colorado River, water risks grow across the Southwest," 18 Mar. 2019 Lower Lake remains drained as crews continue emergency repairs this week to shore up the historic dam and spillway. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, "Shaker Heights continues reinforcement work at Lower Lake dam and spillway," 30 Mar. 2021 The study found weaknesses in the dam — the dam’s spillway does not have the capacity of passing storm water without overtopping the dam and in the scenario of extreme weather, the dam would be over the top by several feet. — Yasmine Askari, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Carroll commissioners vote to move forward with plans to repair Piney Run Dam, not tapping into water supply," 19 Mar. 2021 City Public Works Director Patti Speese said the $80,000 project mirrors work done in 2012 on the other side of the spillway. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, "Shaker Heights continues reinforcement work at Lower Lake dam and spillway," 30 Mar. 2021 To combat the erosion, Blass recommended the concrete armoring of the downstream spillway. — Yasmine Askari, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "‘It’s imperative that we address this issue’: Study finds weaknesses in Piney Run Dam," 1 Mar. 2021 Another project proposes modifications to an imaginary Portage County spillway designed to collect water streaming off paved surfaces and deliver it to Akron for treatment as drinking water. — Steven Litt, cleveland, "KSU architecture show turns Great Lakes into client for visionary projects," 7 Feb. 2021 When water levels reach the threshold needed to trigger operation under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' authorization, the spillway redirects water from the Mississippi and floods the Atchafalaya River and swamp. — Halle Parker | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "Longtime protectors of the Atchafalaya's swamps form coalition, push to join state task force," 25 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spillway.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Spillway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spillway. Accessed 6 May. 2021.

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