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

See Examples For:

flood control

Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada's detention came nearly a year after revelations over massive corruption in flood control projects -- a matter with serious consequences in a country pummelled every year by major typhoons.

From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026

The California Department of Water Resources, which manages Lake Oroville — the state’s second-largest reservoir — told CalMatters that it’s storing water beyond its normal flood control limits, with permission from the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

Documents obtained by the Creek Team detail chemicals used in 2024 to “eradicate nuisance weeds” in flood control channels, or “washes,” as many Southern Californians know them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2026

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

The street looked like a river, and she could see cars and boats stacked up against a flood control gate.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz