• A Shaft Spillway is one where water enters over a horizontally positioned lip, drops through a vertical or sloping shaft, and then flows to the downstream river channel through a horizontal or nearly horizontal conduit or tunnel (Figure 13). The structure may be considered as being made up of three elements, namely, an overflow control weir, a vertical transition, and a closed discharge channel. When the inlet is funnel shaped, the structure is called a Morning Glory Spillway. The name is derived from the flower by the same name, which it closely resembles especially when fitted with anti- vortex piers (Figure 14). These piers or guide vanes are often necessary to minimize vortex action in the reservoir, if air is admitted to the shaft or bend it may cause troubles of explosive violence in the discharge tunnel-unless it is amply designed for free flow. 

• Discharge characteristics of the drop inlet spillway may vary with the range of head. As the head increases, the flow pattern would change from the initial weir flow over crest to tube flow and then finally to pipe flow in the tunnel. This type of spillway  attains maximum discharging capacity at relatively low heads. However, there is little increase in capacity beyond the designed head, should a flood larger than the selected inflow design flood occur. 

• A drop inlet spillway can be used advantageously at dam sites that are located in narrow gorges where the abutments rise steeply. It may also be installed at projects where a diversion tunnel or conduit is available for use.

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