flood control

American  

noun

Civil Engineering.

1. the act or technique of controlling river flow with dams, dikes, artificial channels, etc., so as to minimize the occurrence of floods.

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flood control British  

noun

1. the technique or practice of preventing or controlling floods with dams, artificial channels, etc

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Etymology

Origin of flood control

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Example Sentences

County officials have long used the chemicals in waterways to clear out vegetation and maintain the water-carrying capacity of flood control channels.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works warned Angelenos to stay well away from waterways such as flood control channels, rivers, and streams -- even after the rain stopped.

From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025

The loss of tidal waters may have forced Sumerian communities to respond with large-scale irrigation and flood control systems -- innovations that defined Sumer's golden age.

From Science Daily • Oct. 27, 2025

"But I am hopeful that, in time, a long-term flood control project will be built in our area, that funds will be used honestly," he says.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2025

As far back as 3500 B.C., the Sumerians, the original inhabitants of this area, mastered irrigation and flood control to create a fertile oasis amid the sandy plains of what is now Iraq.

From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell