impoundment

Impoundment refers to the act of confining, detaining, or enclosing something by authority or design. It is used in several contexts, including water resources, law enforcement, finance, and land or wildlife management.

In hydrology and civil engineering, impoundment is the creation or enlargement of a reservoir by constructing a dam or levee that holds back water. The resulting impounded water forms a storage body used for drinking water, irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power. The term can also describe the storage volume itself and the area flooded behind the barrier.

In legal and police practice, impoundment is the temporary seizure and retention of property, such as vehicles or goods, by authorities pending investigation, disposition, or compliance with a court order. Impounded items are typically held at a designated facility, with procedures for notice, return, or sale.

Financial impoundment is a budgetary action in which an executive branch withholds or delays spending of appropriated funds, subject to legislative approval. In the United States, the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 established procedures to prevent unilateral withholding of funds by the President.

Impoundment can also refer to an enclosure or managed pond for keeping and breeding domestic or wild animals, or to a man-made water body used in wildlife management, often part of hunting or habitat programs.