How were the Dnieper Rapids flooded by the Zaporizhzhya dam?

The Dnieper Rapids were historically a series of rocky obstacles that prevented continuous navigation along the river for centuries. These rapids were located where the river cut through the Ukrainian crystalline massif in a narrow, rocky valley.1

The rapids were flooded following the construction of the Zaporizhzhya hydroelectric power station dam, which was completed in 1932. The dam raised the water level of the river by 130 feet, creating the Dnieper Reservoir and backing the river's waters up as far as Dnipropetrovsk. This significant increase in water depth effectively submerged the rapids, allowing for the development of a continuous deepwater route.21