MISSION – After a never-before-seen spillover in Houston caused more flood concerns, many questioned how dams work and their importance in extreme floods.

In an attempt to avoid an overflow due to Hurricane Harvey floodwaters, officials released water from the Houston Reservoir early Monday morning.  

Hurricane Beulah also had a devastating impact on the Rio Grande Valley. Before then, there weren't as many dams and levees around.

Now, they are a huge focal point when flood prevention is concerned.

Frank Martinez has been working at the International Boundary and Water Commission for over a decade. He said sometimes people in the Valley still forget there are several dams here to protect their life and property.

"Dams are very important cause they protect life and property,” he said.

 Martinez also mentioned there are several dams in the area and not all of them have the same job.

"Our agencies are in charge of two storage dams, which are at Falcon dam just west of Roma, and Amestad Dam in Del Rio,” he explained. “Here in this area, we have two diversion dams that we are in charge of, which are the Anzalduas Dam and the Retamal Dam"

He said the dams do just what their names say. Storage dams hold water like a reservoir and diversion dams divert water from their natural flow.

The IBWC said there are even hydroelectric dams in the valley.

"The closest one we would have here is the Falcon Dam and also Amestad Dam. Both of those dams are operated and maintained by our agency and are hydroelectric,” he said.

Hydroelectric dams work by converting kinetic energy through turbines to mechanical energy.  That mechanical energy is turned into electrical energy through a generator.

All of the electricity made through the dam goes to the Texas electrical grid.