Oroville Dam spillway damage

mako88sb · 02-11-17, 04:02 PM

Some pretty incredible video of the largest dam in California/USA and the potential problems that could happen. We have some friends that live near Sacramento so hopefully, they are above the flood plain:

Sailor Steve · 02-11-17, 05:05 PM

Wow! That's some good footage. Thanks for posting that.

Rockstar · 02-11-17, 08:11 PM

Here's a good read that helps explain what's going on at Oroville.

https://letsgola.wordpress.com/2017/...-introduction/

Rockstar · 02-12-17, 09:18 PM

Oroville damn now expected to fail evacuations underway.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/cal...132332499.html

Oberon · 02-12-17, 09:40 PM

That is...not good. 100 feet deep in some places?

Fingers crossed it doesn't give way.

This chap on youtube is streaming KCRA and KRCR, pardon the name and stuff, but it's a good stream so far:

KCRC streaming here:

Onkel Neal · 02-12-17, 10:05 PM

My niece lives just south of Yubba City, she's on her way to Sacramento. I'm guessing she is going to get stuck in the interstate traffic. I wish I was there.

Oberon · 02-12-17, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

My niece lives just south of Yubba City, she's on her way to Sacramento. I'm guessing she is going to get stuck in the interstate traffic. I wish I was there.

At least if it's coming down the emergency slipway, even if it's uncontrolled, it's taking pressure off the dam itself, so hopefully although there's going to be a bit of localised flooding along the river the actual dam itself will hold fast.

02-12-17, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

At least if it's coming down the emergency slipway, even if it's uncontrolled, it's taking pressure off the dam itself, so hopefully although there's going to be a bit of localised flooding along the river the actual dam itself will hold fast.

From the reports I've seen the issue is that the flow over the emergency spillway is itself causing erosion of what is basically an unprotected surface, and if that gets bad enough it could fail there: which is why they are ordering evacuations.

Oberon · 02-12-17, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

My niece lives just south of Yubba City, she's on her way to Sacramento. I'm guessing she is going to get stuck in the interstate traffic. I wish I was there.

They have any pets? Just saw two girls with six pets between them heading down to a hotel in Sacramento on KCRA. They were at a gas station at Plumas lake. Glad to see that they're putting in place areas where people can take their animals and they're making lists so that people know which ones to go to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyJWest

From the reports I've seen the issue is that the flow over the emergency spillway is itself causing erosion of what is basically an unprotected surface, and if that gets bad enough it could fail there: which is why they are ordering evacuations.

Yeah, I've just seen similar reports, talking about the potential for a thirty foot hole in the emergency spillway area which is going to let a lot of water out from the lake.

Apparently they're planning on dropping some rocks into the gap at daylight tomorrow to try and control things a bit more.

fireftr18 · 02-12-17, 10:59 PM

Acting, are you anywhere near this?

Oberon · 02-12-17, 11:16 PM

I think he's closer to the coastline, hence his need to frequently rearrange his household when the San Andreas coughs.

Aktungbby · 02-13-17, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireftr18

Acting, are you anywhere near this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

I think he's closer to the coastline, hence his need to frequently rearrange his household when the San Andreas coughs.

Ongoing close to home along the greasy green banks of the Rio Napa:

and a thousand yards to the west-two giant redwood trees with mudslide:

Just to the North and very similar to what I drove through on Tuesday's initial storm at 0000 hrs high tide...doesn't look so bad in the day time!:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2464181&postcount=499 NOTE: just drove this route again today for work from San Francisco with some detours (40 extra miles) around still closed roadways; still wet but passable till the next weather front hits. But that's just all local soggy tactics; the statewide agricultural strategy is: the drought is over BBY!(in the Northern state any way!)

Bottom line: all 2 the long-term good if a not an expensive pain in the ass! With the horrendous fires (CobbMtn/Middletown-50 sq. miles 1200 homes etc) and quakes... this is the lesser of three evils and California is the world's 6th large$t economy...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_between_U.S._states_and_countries_by_GD P_(nominal) And no one's dead yet

EDIT as of 22:15 on live news : the community of Oroville has just been ordered evacuated. 156,000 people gotta go quick.

RULE ONE OF BIG DAM integrity: do not have a sinkhole in your spillway

mako88sb · 02-13-17, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Oroville damn now expected to fail evacuations underway.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/cal...132332499.html

From what I've been reading, it sounds like the dam's integrity is still okay. The possible problem is the emergency spillway and the erosion that might work its way back to it. If that did let go, it would be about 30 feet of the dams contents being released which is still enough of a worry to justify the evacuation. At any rate, it looks like the main spillways flow rate being increased to 100,000cfs has lowered the lake level enough to stop the flow over the emergency spillway. Hopefully the worst is over but more rain in the forecast could see this situation escalate again.

Aktungbby · 02-13-17, 11:45 AM

^ Update: 188,000 persons are now under evacuation advisory generally with an hour's notice; the traffic looks abysmal.

Two prisons are in the path of danger; no word on the prisoner's solution as yet. 'copters are dropping bags of rock into the eroded spillway. Good news: the water level has dropped and is no longer going over the emergency spillway but the threat remains-three days of dry weather till the next front hits. The National Guard is activated.

Quote:

ALERT-ALERT-ALERT -- Yes, an evacuation has been ordered. All Yuba County on the valley floor. The auxiliary spillway is close to failing. Please travel safely. Contact family and friends. Help the elderly.
Take only routes to the east, south, or west. DO NOT TRAVEL NORTH TOWARD OROVILLE!!!!!THIS IS NOT A DRILL

mako88sb · 02-13-17, 12:20 PM

Seems to be lots of finger pointing going on already about why the flow rate wasn't increased sooner but the circumstances are reminding me of what we went through in June/2013 here in Calgary/Southern Alberta. We had much higher than usual rainfall in the mountains but the real problem was the snowpack being melted and the ground still being frozen enough that the mountains simply couldn't absorb enough of it. What seemed to be a higher than normal spring run-off situation quickly escalated out of control. I believe it worked out to a 500-year flood event.

02-11-17, 04:02 PM	#1
mako88sb XO Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 423 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Oroville Dam spillway damage Some pretty incredible video of the largest dam in California/USA and the potential problems that could happen. We have some friends that live near Sacramento so hopefully, they are above the flood plain:

02-11-17, 05:05 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Wow! That's some good footage. Thanks for posting that. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

02-12-17, 09:40 PM	#5
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	That is...not good. 100 feet deep in some places? Fingers crossed it doesn't give way. This chap on youtube is streaming KCRA and KRCR, pardon the name and stuff, but it's a good stream so far: KCRC streaming here: Last edited by Oberon; 02-12-17 at 09:54 PM.

02-12-17, 10:05 PM	#6
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,385 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	My niece lives just south of Yubba City, she's on her way to Sacramento. I'm guessing she is going to get stuck in the interstate traffic. I wish I was there. __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

02-12-17, 10:59 PM	#10
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,528 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	Acting, are you anywhere near this? __________________ Of all the forms of Martial Arts, Karaoke causes the most pain!

02-11-17, 08:11 PM	#3
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,614 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Here's a good read that helps explain what's going on at Oroville. https://letsgola.wordpress.com/2017/...-introduction/

02-12-17, 09:18 PM	#4
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,614 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Oroville damn now expected to fail evacuations underway. http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/cal...132332499.html

02-12-17, 11:16 PM	#11
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	I think he's closer to the coastline, hence his need to frequently rearrange his household when the San Andreas coughs.

02-13-17, 12:20 PM	#15
mako88sb XO Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 423 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Seems to be lots of finger pointing going on already about why the flow rate wasn't increased sooner but the circumstances are reminding me of what we went through in June/2013 here in Calgary/Southern Alberta. We had much higher than usual rainfall in the mountains but the real problem was the snowpack being melted and the ground still being frozen enough that the mountains simply couldn't absorb enough of it. What seemed to be a higher than normal spring run-off situation quickly escalated out of control. I believe it worked out to a 500-year flood event.