A baffle apparatus and method for directing fluid flow to reduce damage to an energy dissipating basin that includes an inlet, an outlet, a floor, a sidewall that extends upward from an edge of the floor, and an opposing sidewall that extends upward from an opposing edge of the floor defining a basin interior with a basin span between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall. The baffle apparatus includes a deflector structure that is generally planar and is fixedly or adjustably positioned substantially transverse to a downstream direction flow in the basin, the deflector structure spanning between the sidewall and the opposing sidewall above the floor. Also included, is a retaining structure for fixedly or adjustably positioning and securing the deflector structure to the sidewall. The deflector structure directs flow in the basin to flow in a downstream direction from a reverse upstream direction adjacent to the basin floor.