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
Ghat Ghat As used in many parts of South Asia, the term ghat refers to a series of steps leading down to a body of water, particularly a holy river. The set of stairs can lead down to something as small as a pond or as large as a major river. The word "ghat" is explained by numerous Dravidian etymons such as Kannada "gatta" (mountain range) Tamil "kattu" (side of a mountain, dam, ridge, causeway) and Telugu "katta" and "gattu" (dam, embankment). The word "ghat" has furthermore the implicit meaning of "pass" or "crossing". The numerous significant ghats along the Ganges