A gear pump, comprising: a housing; a drive gear and a driven gear, the drive gear and the driven gear each having gear side surfaces; and first and second end plates (2,4,6) having plate side surfaces (42,44,46), the plate side surfaces each including a plurality of spiral grooves (58,66) disposed opposite the gear side surfaces; the first and second end plates further comprising: a first opening and a second opening for receiving shafts (15,16) associated with the drive gear and the driven gear; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves includes a first groove region (56A,56B) positioned adjacent the first opening and a second groove region positioned adjacent the second opening; wherein the plurality of spiral grooves are oriented such that rotation of the drive gear and the driven gear generates a low pressure zone in the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent a gear root of the drive gear and a gear root of the driven gear and generates a high pressure zone in the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent the first opening and the second opening; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves of the first groove region (56A, 56B) have first ends positioned a first distance from the first opening, thereby forming a circumferential dam around the first opening; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves of the second groove region have first ends positioned a first distance from the second opening, thereby forming a circumferential dam around the second opening; and wherein the width of the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent a root diameter of the gear teeth of the drive gear and driven gear does not extend beyond a width of the gear teeth of the drive gear and the driven gear at the root diameter of the gear teeth. a housing; a drive gear and a driven gear, the drive gear and the driven gear each having gear side surfaces; and first and second end plates (2,4,6) having plate side surfaces (42,44,46), the plate side surfaces each including a plurality of spiral grooves (58,66) disposed opposite the gear side surfaces; the first and second end plates further comprising: a first opening and a second opening for receiving shafts (15,16) associated with the drive gear and the driven gear; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves includes a first groove region (56A,56B) positioned adjacent the first opening and a second groove region positioned adjacent the second opening; wherein the plurality of spiral grooves are oriented such that rotation of the drive gear and the driven gear generates a low pressure zone in the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent a gear root of the drive gear and a gear root of the driven gear and generates a high pressure zone in the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent the first opening and the second opening; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves of the first groove region (56A, 56B) have first ends positioned a first distance from the first opening, thereby forming a circumferential dam around the first opening; and wherein the plurality of spiral grooves of the second groove region have first ends positioned a first distance from the second opening, thereby forming a circumferential dam around the second opening; and wherein the width of the plurality of spiral grooves adjacent a root diameter of the gear teeth of the drive gear and driven gear does not extend beyond a width of the gear teeth of the drive gear and the driven gear at the root diameter of the gear teeth.