In syntax, sluicing is a type of ellipsis that occurs in both direct and indirect interrogative clauses. The ellipsis is introduced by a wh-expression, whereby in most cases, everything except the wh-expression is elided from the clause.

What does it mean when a dam is sluicing?

For dams like Fontana, the choices are either to sluice or to spill. A spillway simply allows excess water to flow over the top of the dam, maintaining a maximum lake level. But because Fontana needs more control over water levels, the choice is sluicing – carrying water away from the lower depth of the lake.

What is the process of sluicing?

Jets of water are being directed onto a gravel slope in a mining process known as sluicing. The water washes down fine gravel containing gold so that it can be directed into sluice boxes and recovered using gravity separation (where the heavy gold is trapped at the bottom and the lighter sands are washed away).