"Practical Engineering" video on the forensic report about the Oroville Dam spillway failu 7

[Eufalconimorph]

thread815-420883

What Really Happened at the Oroville Dam Spillway. Like most all of his videos, it's a clear explanation for non-Civil Engineers.

 

[dik]

Really good explanation... even for engineers.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[JohnRBaker]

Speaking of the Oroville Dam, things a very different than they were two years ago (click on the 'Play' icon to start the webcams):

https://www.parks.ca.gov/live/lakeorovillesra

It's reported that the water level is DOWN 640 feet from normal and that they will soon have to shutdown the power plant, just ahead of the cooling season.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-'Product Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[JohnRBaker]

Another update on the Oroville Dam, it's almost empty:

Lake Oroville reaches all-time low level; hydroelectric plant shuts down for first time ever

Record dry conditions at tallest dam in United States highlight California drought

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/08...ric-plant-will-shut-down-for-first-time-ever/

Note that the above headline is not 100% accurate since they did shutdown the hydroelectric plant during certain phases of the spillway disaster and it's reconstruction, but not because of low water levels, which is what this headline is reporting.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-'Product Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[ATSE]

John - Oroville Lake levels are extremely low.
However, your statement "...DOWN 640 feet..." is not correct. The lake is at Elevation = 640 ft. About 250 ft below maximum level (not a 640 ft drop).
The lake fluctuates 100+ feet in elevation most years, but this recent drought is indeed severe.
Maybe the high-level water decision makers can fund / build another reservoir and dam (or maybe a dozen). Or just wring their hands for another 40 years, and just talk melodramatically about water equity and fish well-being and low flush toilets and climate change.
If California built water reservoirs at the rate of population growth over the last 50 years, there would be no water shortage today.