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Oroville Dam situation: evacuation order lifted, spillway repair underway

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Z

Zyae

Member
This is what is about to fail. Not the dam itself guys


xH1lvDU.jpg
 
S

SkyOdin

Member
Zyae said:
This is what is about to fail. Not the dam itself guys


xH1lvDU.jpg
Click to expand...
The flow on the right is the main spillway, not the emergency spillway. The emergency spillway is the huge area to the left of the main spillway where the dam water is flowing over the side of the dam. That picture only shows a sixth or so of the emergency spillway.
 
G

Gallbaro

Banned
Zyae said:
This is what is about to fail. Not the dam itself guys


xH1lvDU.jpg
Click to expand...
There is a 900ft differential between the river and the top of the water.

That potential energy is the dam failing. The water will make a new path. It's not going to easily stop eroding and stop flowing.
 
G

GtwoK

Member
What exactly does a failure of the spill way mean, and how is it different from a failure of the dam? The purpose of the spillway is to release water, which it is still doing, is it not? (I know about the damage, but the water is still coming out). Is the release no longer controllable, and water will be pouring out nonstop? If that's the case, isn't that the same thing as a dam failure?
 
C

Chumly

Member
GtwoK said:
What exactly does a failure of the spill way mean, and how is it different from a failure of the dam? The purpose of the spillway is to release water, which it is still doing, is it not? (I know about the damage, but the water is still coming out). Is the release no longer controllable, and water will be pouring out nonstop? If that's the case, isn't that the same thing as a dam failure?
Click to expand...
The actually dam is significantly taller than the emergency spillway. The entire dam failing would be catastrophic
 
D

DopeyFish

Not bitter, just unsweetened
Chumly said:
The actually dam is significantly taller than the emergency spillway. The entire dam failing would be catastrophic
Click to expand...

still has the potential to let out everything

this is the danger because the water could erode the hillside in such a short time
 
H

How About No

Member
Umm if anyones there's still there please follow the evacuation instructions please get the fuck out of there

I don't wanna hear about no dead Gaffers
 
G

Gallbaro

Banned
GtwoK said:
What exactly does a failure of the spill way mean, and how is it different from a failure of the dam? The purpose of the spillway is to release water, which it is still doing, is it not? (I know about the damage, but the water is still coming out). Is the release no longer controllable, and water will be pouring out nonstop? If that's the case, isn't that the same thing as a dam failure?
Click to expand...

Any uncontrolled water going from the source to the drain is considered a dam failure. Depending on how deep the soil is (to bedrock) on that hill. This is no different, as dopeyfish said all the water could be let out.

Edit: Right now the water is eroding the foundation for the emergency spillway.
 
D

dalyr95

Member
Hope everyone ends up ok there.

Probably a stupid question but here goes. Considering keystone xl is a pipeline near 3,000 miles long. Can't an overspill pipeline be laid the 500 miles to Lake Mead which is at its lowest levels in years?
 
E

esai

Member
girlfriend lives up there. she was at a birthday party and text me that they are being evacuated. haven't heard from her since but i talked to her mom that likes in Sacramento, said my gf is heading there now. this traffic is worrying me.
 
D

DUFFMCWALIN

Member
The flood area is potentially massive. The entire north state, especially with other river floods and a new weather system coming in on Tuesday. Even if tonight goes well we still have a couple of months of bad weather to get through.
 
S

SkyOdin

Member
dalyr95 said:
Hope everyone ends up ok there.

Probably a stupid question but here goes. Considering keystone xl is a pipeline near 3,000 miles long. Can't an overspill pipeline be laid the 500 miles to Lake Mead which is at its lowest levels in years?
Click to expand...
Oroville dam is already part of a system of reservoirs and canals that store water and move them from Northern California to Southern California. Under ideal circumstances, that water is already spoken for. However, these are extreme circumstances that are exceeding all expectation. The emergency spillway is essentially just the top of the dam: the water is overflowing the top of the dam even with the main spillway releasing water as well.
 
D

DopeyFish

Not bitter, just unsweetened
Nekofrog said:
should I be evacuating from Marysville / yuba city or am I ok?
Click to expand...

Sutter County OEM immediate evacuation ordered for Live Oak, Yuba City, Nicolaus & all communities Feather River Yuba City basin

evacuation ordered for your city

edit

County of Sutter ‏@CountyofSutter 3m3 minutes ago

Evacuate West on Hwy 20 and/or South on Hwy 99 and Hwy 70 toward Sacramento
 
W

_woLf

Member
Wow, is all of Yuba City being evacuated or just some of it?

This is nuts. I hope the worst case scenario is avoided and people stay safe.
 
C

Corran Horn

May the Schwartz be with you
Another visual representation of the Dam/spillways. Emergency spillway and the area just left of it is having the issues right now.
PZpyJvQ.gif
 
I

Iolo

Member
Jesus. It's shocking how quickly the situation degraded, everything was nominal just a short time ago. I hope they pull it off and avert complete failure by dumping down the primary spillway...
 
Kadin

Kadin

Member
Nekofrog said:
should I be evacuating from Marysville / yuba city or am I ok?
Click to expand...
My friend's parents are in Marysville and he's on his way to pick them up. I imagine if you're in a potential area, something should have been instructed to your area and your neighbors.
 
V

Vilam

Maxis Redwood
Holy hell. I spent an hour looking at various videos and pics of that spillway failing this morning, and was reading how even then they were certain that there was no danger to the dam itself... And now this? That's terrifying, hope it holds or that people can get out in time. Seems like VERY short notice.
 
C

Culex

Banned
The spillway failing will just lower the water below that section, correct? It's not like the damn itself is failing.

Still, it's a TON of water.
 
Kadin

Kadin

Member
Gallbaro said:
Slow erosion, good news! Night time rock dropping from helicopters?
Click to expand...
Yeah dropping rocks to plug the hole sounds pretty iffy to me but what do I know. Sounds like they have a pretty good grasp of the situation with CalFire there but let's hope in a few hours they tell everyone they're good to turn around and come back.
 
S

SkyOdin

Member
According to the news, the biggest risks are of rapid river rise and adding further strain to an already stressed levee system along these rivers.
 
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