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

The province's emergency flood control response has been raised to its highest level.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 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

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

If rain totals are on the higher end of forecasts, swift-water rescues could prove necessary should people become trapped in flood control channels or streams, Kittell said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 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