The Control Structure
While the earthen segments make up most of the dam, the control structure is where the action is. Each part of the structure has a specific and important function.
The "Stilling Basin" functions to still the river water as it flows out of the dam. Slowing the water decreases bank erosion. To slow the water, large concrete blocks called "baffles" were placed in the basin. There are 25 baffles, each the size of a passenger van, lined up in two rows in the basin.
The "Sluice Gates," located inside the control structure, empty into the stilling basin. There are 14 hydraulically- operated sluice gates. Each is five feet wide and nine feet tall. These gates are used when outflow is less than 38,000 cubic feet per second.
Unlike some dams, Red Rock has a "controlled" spillway through the use of the "Tainter Gates." Each gate is 41 feet wide and 45 feet tall. These high outflow gates are used only during high water conditions.