What are dikes? (Geography)?

Answer 1

I like how you specified the appropriate topic instead of the alternate!

They are essentially earthen "walls" that hold back water (rivers, streams, marshes, seas, etc...) and are built (hopefully) high enough to account for any potential flooding of a low-lying area.

Answer 2

There is another kind of dike that has nothing to do with human construction or earthworks: When molten magma penetrates the overlying rocks, cutting through the layers (strata), and then solidifies it is called a geological dike. it may later become exposed through weathering, and if it is harder than the rocks it penetrated, it may be left as an exposed wall or dike (similar in appearance to human made dikes, hence the same term is used).

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What are dikes? (Geography)?

Answer 4

A dike is a man made barrier constructed to keep water from flooding coastal land that is below sea level. The best example of dikes is the coast of the Netherlands. The dikes have permitted the Dutch to raise land in the interior above sea level and create new land in place of inland lakes.

Answer 5

DIKE
- A dike (or dyke) is a stone or earthen wall constructed as a defence or as a boundary. The best known form of dike is a construction built along the edge of a body of water to prevent it from flooding onto an adjacent lowland. However dikes have also been built as field boundaries and as military defences. More on this type of dike can be found in the article on dry-stone walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dike_(construction)

- A dike is a standard engineered or designed structure constructed to prevent flooding of land. Dikes include many forms of flood protection works. A dike is defined in the Dike Maintenance Act as "an embankment, wall, fill piling, pump, gate, floodbox, pipe, sluice, culvert, canal, ditch, drain or any other thing that is constructed, assembled or installed to prevent the flooding of land."
http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/404/wat_404.html

- A long, narrow embankment usually built to protect land from flooding. If built of concrete or masonary the structure is usually referred to as a flood wall. Levees and floodwalls confine streamflow within a specified area to prevent flooding. The term "dike" is used to describe an embankment that blocks an area on a reservoir or lake rim that is lower than the top of the dam.
http://www.science501.com/PTWeaGlGM.html

Answer 6

Dike- a. An embankment of earth and rock built to prevent floods.
b. Chiefly British A low wall, often of sod, dividing or enclosing lands.
2. A barrier blocking a passage, especially for protection.
3. A raised causeway.
4. A ditch; a channel.
5. Geology A long mass of igneous rock that cuts across the structure of adjacent rock.
tr.v. diked also dyked, dik·ing also dyk·ing, dikes also dykes
1. To protect, enclose, or provide with a dike.
2. To drain with dikes or ditches.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Middle English, from Old English dc, trench; see dhgw- in Indo-European roots, and from Old Norse dki, ditch.]

Answer 7

Usually, a dike refers to a wall in a harbor or other body of salt water that is used to keep the local area from flooding. When this wall is along a river, it is refered to as a levy.

Answer 8

Well, people have Lessened the extent of forests and replaced it with agricultural areas and urban settlements. Increased the composition of dust,carbon dioxide and other poisonous gases in the atmosphere thereby damaging the layers of the atmosphere and changing the climate, leading to a rise in sea level. Diverted the course of many rivers and hindered their flow by building dams. Caused the erosion of soil in hilly and other areas by removing vegetation and exposing the top soil to the elements of nature. Threatened the survival of many plants and animals by hunting and introducing non-native species.

Answer 9

small dams also called weirs that help keep water out of land meant for human habitation.

Answer 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dike_(const...