Wooden dams were widely used in the early part of the Industrial Revolution and in frontier areas due to the ease and speed of construction. Rarely constructed by humans in modern times due to their relatively young age and limited height, wooden dams are designed to retain water retention properties and limit deterioration from barrel rot. It should be kept constantly wet. Locations where it is most economical to build wooden dams are where wood is abundant, cement is expensive or difficult to transport, and either low-head diversion dams are required or longevity is not an issue. Timber crib dams were erected of heavy timbers or dressed logs in the manner of a log house and the interior filled with earth or rubble. The heavy crib structure supported the dam’s face and the weight of the water. Timber plank dams were more elegant structures that employed a variety of construction methods utilizing heavy timbers to support a water-retaining arrangement of planks. Very few timber dams are still in use.
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