California's Lake Oroville Main Spillway Severely Damaged/Eroded. Oroville Dam's Recently Reconstructed Main Spillway Fundamentally Flawed

Look up the story of the St. Francis Dam Disaster. Another story of greed in the form of William Mulholland.

On March 12th, 1928, the St Francis Dam failed suddenly and completely, dooming many downstream in the Santa Clarita River valley, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
My dad was born in July, 1927, but he had researched the flood after moving to California in 1957. I can recall as a kid his commentary as we were driving around Ventura County in So Cal.

" The flood came through here. This is what the flood did."

The evidence of the flood damage was still visible in the '60s and '70s.

As a teenager, I spent a lot of time riding motorcycles at the Indian Dunes Motorcycle Park. It was located right in the Santa Clarita River Bottoms, and displayed lots of damage from the St. Francis Dam flood, although I didn't realize it at the time.

Lots of twisted and destroyed railroad tracks, with new lines built right next to them.

My friend's dad was the manager, and we would load our bikes and go to work with him, riding for free during the week. This was also where the TV series 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' was filmed, so we would often have Corsairs and fake Zeros cranking and banking over our heads while we were riding.

A favorite spot of mine to ride was the river right below a sheer cliff. This spot was featured in a few movies later on, such as 'Uncommon Valor' and was the place where Vic Morrow and some juvenile extras died during the filming of 'Twilight Zone: The movie'.

I did not realize until many years later that the cliff was formed during the St. Francis Dam flood.

The area has all returned to farmland now. But the scars remain.

Floods change the landscape and memories.

The reservoir is down to 823'
Only 10 feet to go before the base of the spillway gates are clear of water.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the gates are dry. More repair? More construction?

Time is running out before the rain comes.

DWR lies.

small quake in Greenville. Those ones up there often felt in paradise/oroville areas when they are bigger.

THE LOWER THE BETTER ..STILL NOT AT THE BOTTTOM OF THE GATES..RIGHT?

AUG 25TH..

WHOH!

815 .42..THEY R DRAININ THE SHIT OUT OF IT!

IN 24 DAYS..THEY HAVE DROPPED IN 30+ FEET...!
THEY WANT TO SEE THE BOTTOM OF THOSE GATES! ASAP!

AND HERE'S MY PREDICTION...WHEN THEY FINALLY GET THE LEVEL BELOW THE GATES...WATER IS STILL GOING TO OUT OF 'PLACES'...LIKE ALL DIRECTIONS...THE MOUNTAIN AND LEAKING AREAS ARE ALL FULL AND OVER FLOWING...AND AS THE LEVEL DROPS MORE..IT WILL STILL BE DRAINING OUT OF AREAS THAT THEY ...CANT FIGURE....MORE WATER THAT SHOULD BE THERE...FOR A 'SOLID..OR MOSTLY SEMI SOLID STRUCTURE!..UH.

WELL WELL WELL GANG...

OROVILLE IS STILL @ 105% OF HISTORICAL AVERAGE AND TWO THIRDS FULL...

THE 106 IS DANGEROUS AS HELL AND TO PROVE IT...IF YOU GO LOOK AT THE DAILY CHART THAT THEY PUT UP OF ALL THE BIG ONES...OROVILLE IS THE LOWEST..1 OF ALL OF THEM..AT 106..!
THEY R SCARED SHITLESS..ABOUT THIS THING!..THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE BEEN DRAINING IT AT ONE AND A QUARTER FUOOT A DAY!...

AND HERE'S ANOTHER PREDICTION..I BET THAT THEY JAM PACK THE 4 LAKES AND RES ABOVE OROVILLE TO THE HILT!..SO THAT THEY CAN FIX THIS THING AND GET A GOOD LOOK AT IT AND HOW MUCH IT WILL LEAK IF THEY CAN LET IT!

If the current forecast models hold, we are heading to an extremely early Winter season here which is very unusual for this time of the year. Obviously the forecast can still change, but this is nuts if it verifies!


10 day ECMWF Ensemble:



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today I don't discern any actual water coming thru the gates and down the spillway.. top images I can't see actual water flow.

does't anyone know what is being fixed or whatever on the outside of the spillway walls? several people doing something.

and where is it going?

I was thinking the same thing. We have had lots of rain this week beginning on Monday. Lots of heavy downpours.

Extremely unusual for this time of year in this vicinity.

It looks like they installed lighting along the tops of the main spillway walls.

For what purpose? Who knows.

The channels for the lighting masts, conduit, wiring, etc., should have been in place during the initial pours of the walls. It appears that is being done after the fact.

Where is that clown that kept claiming this project was 'on-time and under-budget'?

This thing is going to be eating up change orders and resources for the next decade, at least.

On my phone, cant link. Go look at the pinned thread about the hurricane that could hit CA. Too early to tell, but possible.

The reservoir has been below the bottom of the gates since midnight.

What do you see? Any increased activity?

NOW AT 812.48!

THEY R DRAINING IT RIGHT ON DOWN THE RIVER....


I THINK THE WILD CARD IN THE FUTURE IS GONNA BE THE 4 RES/DAMS ABOVE AND THEY MAY HAVE A CASCADE FAILURE UP THERE AND THEN...IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS WEAKENED 'PUPPY'..UH!

They wasted no time in dropping the reservoir level in direct contrast to DWR public statements by Erin Mellon, et al.

Now that the water level is below the bottom of the gates, the Hyatt Powerplant outflow has been reduced.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

The clock is ticking. We are heading onto the deluge season.

2 days ago I posted I could not discern any water coming thru the gates on the top image... today there is water flowing on the top image.

811.61 !

And water still leaking from the gate area.

yep last I looked.. so it must not be lower than the gates.. right?

Bottom of the gates is 813'

It is currently at 811', so the reservoir elevation is below the bottom of the gates by a couple of feet.

It could be wave action against the gates, there is a strong north wind today.

NEW LEVEL 810.45 !

Thankyou.. I did wonder that later after I posted.

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