A low dam built across a river to raise the water level or regulate its flow. Used for water management, fish traps, or powering mills.
From Old English 'wer,' related to the verb 'werian' (to defend, dam up). The word shares roots with 'war' and 'beware,' all stemming from the concept of defensive barriers or protection.
Weirs are humanity's gentle way of negotiating with rivers - instead of fighting water's natural flow, they redirect it for human purposes while still letting it continue downstream. Ancient salmon runs often depend on these structures, making weirs crucial meeting points between human engineering and wildlife corridors.
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