Situation at Lake Orovile Deteriorating

[Pastor Guest]

I'll imagine they are calling on God too.

[The Cub]

I'll imagine they are calling on God too.

Yes.....I expect many have found religion, as a result.

[The Cub]

100,000 People Are Evacuating Over "Imminent Failure" Of California's Oroville Dam



by Tyler Durden
Feb 12, 2017 8:48 PM


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Update: NBC reports that the spillway has now failed: "The Oroville Dam’s auxiliary spillway has failed, forcing the evacuations of several counties in California, with between 60,000 and 100,000 people forced to evacuate from Butte, County, Calif., alone."

Authorities are holding a press conference over the Oroville dam spillway failure:
* * *
Large-scale evacuations are taking place among residents of the low levels of Oroville and areas downstream after torrential rains led to the overflow of Lake Oroville in Northern California for first time in 48-year history, leading to what is said to be an imminent failure of the dam's spillway, which according to officials could "lead to a failure of the structure."

Oroville Dam is an earthfill embankment dam on the Feather River east of the city of Oroville, California in the United States. At 770 feet (230 m) high, it is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serves mainly for water supply, hydroelectricity generation and flood control.

Officials said a hazardous situation is developing with the Oroville Dam auxiliary spillway. The operation of the auxiliary spillway has led to severe erosion that could lead to a failure of the auxiliary spillway.

According to Fox 40, officials are anticipating an imminent failure of the auxiliary spillway at Oroville Dam. "Officials are anticipating a failure of the Auxiliary Spillway at Oroville Dam within the next 60 minutes (5:45 p.m.)," the California Department of Water Resources said on Facebook.

On Twitter the agency added that the "Auxiliary spillway at Oroville Dam predicted to fail within the next hour. Oroville residents evacuate northward."
According to a posting by the CDWR, residents should evacuate in a northward direction, toward Chico. The flash flood warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. Monday.
According to Fox 40, failure would result in an uncontrolled release of flood waters from Lake Oroville. The DWR is increasing water released to 100,000 cubic feet per second. Furthermore, use of the auxiliary spillway has lead to severe erosion that could lead to a failure of the structure, causing unprecedented flooding and damage.


Water flows over the emergency spillway at Lake Oroville

Immediate evacuation from the low levels of Oroville and areas downstream have been ordered.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for possible dam failure.
Areas affected include Oroville, Palermo, Gridley, Thermalito, South Oroville, Oroville Dam, Oroville East and Wyandotte. An evacuation center for residents has been set up at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2357 Fair Street in Chico.
As the following choppercam photo shows, thousands of people are scrambling to evacuate the downstream areas.


The full press release is below:

Press Release: Oroville, Calif. – The relatively light flow of water that began washing into Lake Oroville’s auxiliary spillway Saturday morning is expected to continue flowing for the next few days. Total releases from the reservoir do not threaten the dam or downstream communities and fall well within the capacity of the Feather River and other downstream channels.

Hampered by serious erosion that opened starting Tuesday on the lower portion of the dam’s main spillway, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) prepared for Lake Oroville to rise to its highest level ever.

The lake exceeded the elevation of 901 feet above sea level shortly after 8 a.m. today, at which point water slowly began to flow over the concrete weir of the auxiliary spillway, down a hillside, and into the Feather River. The auxiliary spillway is operating as intended.

“The flows we’re seeing are extremely low compared to the design of the structure,” said DWR Acting Director William Croyle. “Based on our current situation, there is no threat.” Flows of between 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and 12,000 cfs are expected to flow into the auxiliary spillway for 32 to 58 hours, based on the latest modeling of weather, reservoir inflow and other factors. Those flows will stop once discharge from the lake exceeds inflow.

Flows into the auxiliary spillway are far less than the volume of water washing into the lake from the Feather River watershed. That’s because the 16,000-acre surface of the lake acts as a buffer, spreading and attenuating inflow. In order to help manage reservoir levels, DWR operators also are discharging 55,000 cfs from the damaged concrete spillway and expect to continue to do so. Upward erosion on this closely monitored, gated spillway has slowed considerably.

DWR focused Saturday on ways to get the Hyatt Power Plant at Oroville Dam back in operation, because 14,000 cfs can be discharged from the plant when it is operating, which would help with reservoir management. Power generation was halted when the water levels in the channel that leads from the power plant became high enough to compromise operation.

Water levels rose when debris from the eroded concrete spillway piled up in the channel below. The same erosion also threatens the towers that hold the power lines that take electricity from the power plant to the electrical grid; such a connection is needed for the power plant to operate. DWR, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and other partners are working to safeguard the hydroelectric facility and power lines.

According to some, it is criminal that California agencies have waited so long before ordering the evacuation. Much more information is available in the following video:
Readers can keep track of live updates at the following link. A live feed of the situation in Oroville is available after the jump below courtesy of KCRA.



http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-0...d-fail-minutes

[The Cub]

https://youtu.be/oQxVmKnBgvc

[Lenno]

I blame Bush/Trump
but never Clinton/Obola
PS PPL are just Numbers, Moonbeam will ship in another 100,000 Reconquista for $00.10 a vote

[AskYourselfWhy]

As far as I can tell, the emergency spillway is doing what it is supposed to do, act as a spillway. It is not paved. It's just a hill that the water flows down when the dam can't handle the volume. (Not to say that it's a good thing, but I don't think anything has blown up yet.)

[Lenno]

As far as I can tell, the spillway is doing what it is supposed to do, act as a spillway.

Yeah...About That
Politically enhanced Urban sprawl...A whole bunch of Middle Class, Small Business Republicans are about to disappear

[Vipper]

Latest: National Guard to assist with dam…

BREAKING NEWS

The Latest: National Guard to assist with dam repair

News

California News

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California Highway Patrol officer Ken Weckman directs traffic as residents evacuate Marysville, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017. Thousands of residents of Marysville and other Northern California communities were told to leave their homes Sunday evening as an emergency spillway of the Oroville Dam could fail at any time unleashing flood waters from Lake Oroville, according to officials from the California Department of Water Resources. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via AP)


By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |
PUBLISHED: February 12, 2017 at 7:01 pm | UPDATED: February 13, 2017 at 12:09 am


OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on problems with an emergency spillway at the nation’s tallest dam (all times local):
11:50 p.m.

A California National Guard official says they will provide eight helicopters to assist with emergency spillway reconstruction at the nation’s tallest dam located about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Adjunct General David S. Baldwin said at a news conference late Sunday that the helicopters will also be available for search and rescue Monday near the Oroville Dam.

He added that the California National Guard put out a notification to all 23,000 soldiers and airmen to be ready to deploy if needed.

Baldwin says the last time an alert like Sunday’s was issued for the entire California National Guard was the 1992 riots.

Evacuations for at least 188,000 people were ordered after officials warned the emergency spillway was in danger of failing and unleashing uncontrolled flood waters on towns below.
___
11:30 p.m.

Gov. Jerry Brown has issued an emergency order to fortify authorities’ response to the emergency at a Northern California dam and help with evacuations.

The Oroville Dam, which located about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco, has erosion on its emergency spillway and evacuation orders were given to 188,000 people south of the dam in case the spillway failed.

Brown said late Sunday the state is directing all necessary personnel and resources to deal with a “complex and rapidly changing” situation.

His office says the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is coordinating with local and federal emergency response officials.
___
11:15 p.m.
A Northern California sheriff says evacuation orders affecting 188,000 people will stand until there is more information on the condition of the nation’s tallest dam’s emergency spillway.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says there are a lot of unknowns about the situation at the Oroville Dam, which located about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco.

He spoke at a news conference late Sunday and said a lot of people had to be displaced to ensure public safety and that continues to be his focus.

State Fire and Rescue Chief Kim Zagaris says at least 250 law enforcement officers from throughout the state are in the area or en route to help keep things safe for the people who evacuated.
___
11 p.m.
A California water official says no repair work was done Sunday on the eroded emergency spillway at the nation’s tallest dam.

Lake Oroville is about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco, and the 770-foot-tall Oroville Dam is the nation’s tallest.

Earlier Sunday, authorities mentioned a plan to plug the hole by using helicopters to drop rocks into the crevasse.

Acting Director Department of Water Resources Bill Croyle said at a news conference late Sunday that no corrective measures were taken after looking at the flow and available resources.

He said officials will be able to assess the damage to the emergency spillway now that the water is no longer spilling over the top.

He added that the integrity of the dam has not impacted.
___
10:30 p.m.
A California water official says 100,000 cubic feet per second continue to flow down the Orville Dam’s main spillway.

Department of Water Resources Acting Director Bill Croyle said at a news conference late Sunday that the plan is to continue withdrawing that amount of water for as long as possible.

Croyle says a key goal is to reduce the dam’s level ahead of upcoming storms forecast to reach the area Wednesday.

Water levels at Lake Orville rose so high that an emergency spillway was used Saturday for the first time in almost 50 years. Officials noticed erosion on the emergency spillway on Sunday.

Croyle says officials have been unable to access the erosion scar but will be able to analyze the damage better now that water is below its level.

___
10:15 p.m.

Authorities say there is no more water going over the emergency spillway at a Northern California dam.

Officials put out an evacuation order Sunday afternoon saying the spillway at Orville Dam could fail within an hour.

At least 130,000 people in downstream areas have been asked to evacuate.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said at a news conference late Sunday that the evacuation orders will stand until more information is analyzed.
___
8:30 p.m.

Traffic is gridlocked for miles around Lake Oroville as panicked and angry residents try to evacuate over concerns the Northern California dam’s emergency spillway could fail.

Kaysi Levias and her husband, Greg, stopped at a gas station as they attempted to flee.
Greg Levias says he’s shocked and pretty mad they didn’t get more warning.

Officials put out an evacuation order Sunday afternoon telling around 100,000 people the emergency spillway at Orville Dam could fail within an hour.

Raj Gill is managing a Shell station where panicky motorists got gas and snacks while they wait for gridlocked traffic to clear. He says his boss told him to close the station and flee himself, but he stayed open to feed a steady line of customers.
___
8:00 p.m.
At least 130,000 people have been asked to evacuate over concerns California’s Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway could fail.

Officials say Oroville Lake levels are decreasing as they let water flow from its heavily damage, main spillway but point out water is still spilling over the dam.

California officials say the cities of Oroville, Gridley, Live Oak, Marysville, Wheat land, Yuba City, Plumas Lake, and Olivehurst are all under evacuation orders.
___
6:45 p.m.

Butte County Sheriff Koney Honea says engineers with the California Department of Water Resources informed him shortly after 6 p.m. that the erosion on the emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam is not advancing as fast as they thought.

Honea says two inches of water is still coming over the dam, but that is significantly down from earlier flows.

Honea says there is a plan to plug the hole by using helicopters to drop rocks into the crevasse.

He says the evacuation order went out after engineers spotted a hole that was eroding back toward the top of the spillway.

Honea adds authorities wanted to get people moving quickly to save lives in case “the worst-case scenario came into fruition.”

California officials say the cities of Gridley, Live Oak, Nicolaus, Yuba City and communities near Feathers River have been added to the evacuation order.

Hundreds of cars in wall-to-wall traffic can be seen on Highway 99 as people stream out of Oroville away from the dam.
___
5:45 p.m.
Authorities in Yuba County are asking people living in the valley floor to evacuate.

The Yuba County Office of Emergency Services says people should take routes to the east, south, or west and avoid traveling north toward Oroville.

The California Department of Water Resources says it is releasing as much as 100,000 cubic feet per second from the main, heavily damaged spillway to try to drain the lake.

Department of Water Resources spokesman Kevin Dossey tells the Sacramento Bee the emergency spillway was rated to handle 250,000 cubic feet per second, but it began to show weakness Sunday at a small fraction of that. Flows through the spillway peaked at 12,600 cubic feet per second at 1 a.m. Sunday and were down to 8,000 cubic feet per second by midday.
___
5:15 p.m.

Officials have ordered residents near the Oroville Dam in Northern California to evacuate the area, saying a “hazardous situation is developing” after an emergency spillway severely eroded.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office says the emergency spillway could fail within an hour unleashing uncontrolled flood waters from Lake Oroville.

The department says people in downstream areas need to leave the area immediately.
It says residents of Oroville, a town of 16,000 people, should head north toward Chico and that other cities should follow orders from their local law enforcement agencies.

Water began flowing over the emergency spillway at the dam on Saturday after for the first time in its nearly 50-year history after heavy rainfall.
___
12:44 p.m.
Officials say water will continue to flow over an emergency spillway at the nation’s tallest dam for another day or so.

Water began flowing over the emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam in Northern California on Saturday for the first time in its nearly 50-year history after heavy rainfall.

California Department of Water Resources spokesman Eric See said at a Sunday press conference that skies are clear and the overflow is steadily slowing. It’s expected to stop by midday Monday.

In addition to the emergency spillway, water also flowed through the main spillway that was significantly damaged from erosion. Officials said they’ll assess the damage starting
Monday.

See stressed the dam is structurally sound and there was no threat to the public.
About 150 miles northeast of San Francisco, Lake Oroville is one of California’s largest man-made lakes







http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/12/the-latest-officials-order-evacuation-near-california-dam/

[CaryC]

From my perspective:

A couple of days ago "they" said everything would be fine. Right got you there. I would of left then.

There are 2 spill ways: One with a concrete flow way that has the hole in it, and is washing out the underneath, and to the sides of the earthen dam.

The other is an emergency spillway without the concrete flow way. Which is to the left of the concrete one with a building over it. Once this overflows, if strong enough of a flow, it will start to wash out and erode.

And IMHO if this is the area in which they removed the trees because if they washed away it wouldn't look nice down stream, they are big dummies, or I am one. I say that because the tree with their roots would keep it from eroding longer.

These 2 spill ways are almost side by side. If the overflow is strong enough and both are going at the same time, together they could wash out the earthen dam.

Hope everyone makes it out safely. BTW good reason to have a 4 wheel drive, goes across country and doesn't need a road.

[Enid]

They need to open both side of the highway to evacuate, just they do on the east coast during hurricane evacs. If I were in those places, I'd be driving down the shoulder on wrong side with my flashers on, man.