why don’t dam operators dredge in the dam lake during dry spells (or times when the water levels are too low) to expand the dam’s water capacity?

Question

Because I think it’ll be nice to have more water stored

In: Engineering

Answer 1

here are some videos of dam spillways opening to remove sediment

[Opening A Dam Spillway Gate after Years (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZXCcyZOyW0)

[Radial gate with flap clearing debris (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmxCwZ9wFbQ)

[50 million tons of sediment transportation (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aggy_2n8qGI)

[Purging accumulated sediments in Hydroelectric dam (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoHhyvY4_w)