Levee

A levee (/ˈlɛvi/ or /ˈlɛveɪ/),[a][1] dike (American English), dyke (Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is an elevated ridge, natural or artificial, alongside the banks of a river, often intended to protect against flooding of the area adjoining the river. It is usually earthen and often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastlines.[2]

Naturally occurring levees form on river floodplains following flooding. Sediment and alluvium are deposited on the banks and settle, forming a ridge that increases the river channel's capacity. Alternatively, levees can be artificially constructed from fill, designed to regulate water levels. In some circumstances, artificial levees can be environmentally damaging.[3]

Ancient civilizations in the Indus Valley, ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and China all built levees. Today, levees can be found around the world, and failures of levees due to erosion or other causes can be major disasters,[4] such as the catastrophic 2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans that occurred as a result of Hurricane Katrina.


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  1. ^ "levee". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ Henry Petroski (2006). "Levees and Other Raised Ground". American Scientist. 94 (1): 7–11. doi:10.1511/2006.57.7.
  3. ^ "Flood risk reduction with multiple benefits: more space for the river". www.preventionweb.net. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  4. ^ "A Look at Preventing Levee Erosion". Federal Emergency Management Agency. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
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