Levee Levee A levee (), dike, dyke, embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels. It is usually earthen and often parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastlines. Speakers of American English (notably in the Midwest and Deep South), use the word "levee", from the French word "levée" (from the feminine past participle of the French verb "lever", "to raise"). It originated in New Orleans a few years after the city's founding in 1718 and was later adopted by English speakers. The
Barwon River (Victoria) a popular recreation spot for Geelong, with parklands such as Balyang Sanctuary along the banks, and sees use by water skiers and rowing regatti such as Head of the River. The river's name is derived from the Aboriginal word Parwan, meaning "magpie" or "great wide" . In the Australian Aboriginal Wathawurrung language the names for the river are Worragong, with no clearly defined meaning; Nellemengobeet, meaning "lagoon at mouth"; and also Barrwang, meaning "magpie". Towns the river flows through include: "Ordered upstream to downstream" The West Barwon Dam was constructed near Forrest in 1965 by what is now Barwon Water.