Dams, such as the one here at Christie Lake, were built to control the flow of the watershed creeks and tributaries – a function once managed by natural forests and swamps to control heavy flooding. The reservoir level is controlled by the dam and is monitored daily; in the winter, the water levels are dropped for the purpose of catching heavy spring runoff, and in the summer, that stored water is released during dry periods to augment stream flows. The amount of water released is subject to optimization plans, forecast supplies and flow requirements for fish and wildlife habitats.