Levee Development Natural levees are embankments formed by river sediments deposited during floods. This not only enhanced the height of the river banks, but it also protected them from erosion caused by water currents. Levees were first developed by early humans as natural defenses against floodwaters, and they still play this role today in regions where flooding is common. Ancients built levees to protect their settlements and farmland from floods. In areas where flooding was a constant threat, they built higher and better-designed levees to prevent damage to their communities. Modern engineers have improved on these designs over time, but protective levees remain an important part of flood control infrastructure. In addition to protecting settlements and farmland, ancient people built levees to control the flow of water into and out of lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water. For example, they used leviathans to regulate the water level of large lakes and preserve freshwater sources for drinking and farming. These structures were often made of earth and trees that would degrade or be consumed by fire if used for road building purposes. Leviathans were commonly used by ancient people to control the flow of water into and out of lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water. They consisted of a dam made of earth and trees that would degrade or be consumed by fire if used for road building purposes.