sluice

noun

an artificial channel or passage for water, having a gate or valve at its head to regulate the flow, as in a canal or millstream
the water held back by or passing through such a gate
a gate or valve used in opening or closing a sluice; floodgate
also sluice gate
any channel, esp. one for excess water
☆ a sloping trough or flume through which water is run, as in washing gold ore, carrying logs, etc.

transitive verb sluiced, sluicing

to draw off by or as by means of a sluice
1. to wash with water flowing in or from a sluice
2. to wash off with a rush of water: to sluice a deck with hoses
☆ to carry (logs, etc.) in a sluice

intransitive verb

to run or flow in or as in a sluice

See sluice in American Heritage Dictionary 4