http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Oroville-Dam-emergency-spillway-in-use-for-first-10925628.php “The event that we never wanted to happen, and didn’t expect to happen, has happened,” said Doug Carlson, spokesman for the California Department of Water Resources, which owns and operates the dam and reservoir. “But it has performed as we hoped it would, even though it was the first time.” This is stated about the emergency drainage route at the Oroville Dam which for the first time since the dam opened in 1968 had to be put in use. Due to excessive amounts of winter storms the dam would have over flowed if the emergency route wasn't put into use. Problems for the reservoir began Tuesday when a section of the lake’s primary spillway that is 180 feet wide and more than 3,000 feet long collapsed during high-volume water releases caused by the heavy winter storms California has been thankfully receiving. The resulting craterlike hole has grown dramatically. This caused officials to ease the amount of water released out the main spillway and ultimately use the emergency channel to keep the lake from flowing over the top of the dam. The craterlike hole did not stop the heavy water flow therefore the emergency channel which is nothing more than a mountain side was put into action. The emergency spillway, is nothing more than an open hill that drains toward the Feather River below. Officials said the emergency spillway, activated at 8 a.m. Saturday, would remain in use through at least Sunday night as mountain runoff from recent heavy storms continued to overflow the lake. California's second largest resovior next to Lake Shasta, was suprisgnly pleased with the heavy winter storm and gladly opened their emergency spillway to allow all the unexpected winter runoff to flow.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2017
Categories |