What is a levee primarily used for?

A levee is primarily used to prevent flooding. It is an embankment constructed along the edges of rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water to channel and direct water flow. When water levels rise, particularly during heavy rainfall or snowmelt, levees act as barriers that protect adjacent land from overflow, thereby reducing the risk of flood damage to property, agricultural land, and communities. Their design and construction focus on maintaining the integrity of these flood defenses, ensuring they can withstand the pressures exerted by rising waters.

While there are other structures that can store water or provide pathways, these functions are not the main purpose of levees. Similarly, supporting bridges is not a role that levees serve; rather, it is essential to recognize that levees are specifically engineered with flood prevention as the primary objective.