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Emergency: California’s Oroville Dam Spillway Near Failure, Evacuations Ordered
Breitbart ^ | Feb 12, 2017 | Joel B. Pollak1

Posted on 02/12/2017 4:26:47 PM PST by janetjanet998

Edited on 02/12/2017 9:33:58 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

The California Department of Water Resources issued a sudden evacuation order shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday for residents near the Oroville Dam in northern California, warning that the dam’s emergency spillway would fail in the next 60 minutes.

The Oroville Dam is the highest in the nation.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: butte; california; dam; dwr; evacuation; lakeoroville; liveoroville; moonbeamcanyon; moonbeammadness; oroville; orovilledam; orovillelive; runaway; spillway; sutter; water; yuba
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To: maggief

Reminds me of the Soviets dumping sand into the Chernobyl reactor via helicopter.


441 posted on 02/12/2017 10:04:38 PM PST by Thud
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
“...and severe flooding would ruin some of the most productive agricultural land in the country.”

Jerry Brown is part of Obama's America

442 posted on 02/12/2017 10:07:17 PM PST by Syncro (Facts is facts)
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To: ConservativeMind

Gummer’s a legend in his own mind... Piss on’em ...


443 posted on 02/12/2017 10:11:00 PM PST by VRWC For Truth (FU Shmuckie Shoomer (Rat-NY) and Prick Durbin(Rat-IL))
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To: Syncro

Some of the most productive farmland in the country has been ruined by water restrictions favoring Delta Smelt over sanity. Would be ironic if what’s still productive is ruined by too much water. Things look a bit better now, but rain starts again mid-week with ~4 inches expected over the following week.


444 posted on 02/12/2017 10:13:49 PM PST by leakinInTheBlueSea
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To: PghBaldy

Live news stream - presser NOW - http://fox40.com/on-air/live-streaming/


445 posted on 02/12/2017 10:16:39 PM PST by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: txhurl

More people would evac when told to if there was more instant consequence for looters.


446 posted on 02/12/2017 10:17:53 PM PST by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: PghBaldy

no more water going over emerg spillway, still lots of unknowns, we need to continue to lower the lake level -presser


447 posted on 02/12/2017 10:19:54 PM PST by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: vette6387
One has to wonder why the DWR hasn’t been doing released from Oroville like they have with the other major reservoirs in California.


This happens every time there is a huge rain after a ling drought.

The water management guys don't want to give away a drop of water so they let the dam fill to capacity only to get hit by a monster storm or snow melt that overwhelms the spillways and puts the dam in danger of collapse.

They should have been draining off water for the last 4 weeks instead of hoarding it.

If Oroville collapses, which is a very real possibility, California is gong to be in the world of hurt.

448 posted on 02/12/2017 10:20:59 PM PST by rdcbn (.... when Poets buy guns, tourist season is over ...)
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To: RinaseaofDs

If the concrete spillway fails, and late reports are saying that is likely, it will continue to eat its way to the top of the outlet.

Game over, then


449 posted on 02/12/2017 10:25:50 PM PST by digger48
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To: digger48

The Department of Water Resources term “erosion scar” in the dirt area below the emergency spillway really means “upwards zipper effect” which threatened to undermine the emergency spillway and cause it to collapse like the main concrete spillway.


450 posted on 02/12/2017 10:37:03 PM PST by Thud
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Where is our ill-ustrious gubnah?

He will politicize this just like the LA gubnah did the hurricane in ‘05.

This is shaping up to be another political fustercluck just like hurricane Katrina

I can see the buses sitting useless in the corp yards.

Moonbeam will claim Trump sat on his hands as all the while Moonbeam refuses to bring in the NG allowing chaos to prevail.


451 posted on 02/12/2017 10:39:24 PM PST by Califreak (All Alinsky All The Time)
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To: Califreak

The spillway doesn’t appear at present to be in immediate danger so evacuation should be successful. It sounds as if the real threat comes midweek with additional rainfall. What is the practical reality for these towns, is typical flood damage mitigation such as sandbagging and portable sump pumps out of the question? Is there insufficient high ground for emergency personnel and police to remain and go to work trying to minimize damage and prevent looting?


452 posted on 02/12/2017 10:46:31 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: Califreak

I’m sorry, my town (Marysville) isn’t waiting for the governor to come in to rescue everyone. All city buses have been evacuating people from near the river to places of safety since the order went out. Additional staging points have been set up for those who are unable to evacuate themselves, and people are being transported from there to places of safety.

And that’s being repeated across the region.

Though really, if Gov Moonbeam wanted to give a big gigantic boost to the whole ‘Jefferson state’ movement to break up the state of California, he’s done a bang up job throughout this.


453 posted on 02/12/2017 10:50:16 PM PST by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: Califreak

Law was passed after Katrina. President now has the authority to activate the National guard to deal with emergencies regardless of the Governor.


454 posted on 02/12/2017 10:50:32 PM PST by greeneyes
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To: kingu

So what’s the real situation there?

I’ve heard numbers thrown around that the lake continues to fill at around 40,000 cubic feet per second.

They’re talking about (obviously) turning down the main spillway to under that tomorrow now that they’re under the emergency spillway threshold.

OK. But they still need to keep spilling at 40k... and if it rains more... even more than that.

Just how long are they planning on keeping people evacuated? Until March? What?

I kind of doubt they can drop the lake 30 feet anytime soon with the main spillway looking like that.


455 posted on 02/12/2017 10:58:42 PM PST by Advil000
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To: RegulatorCountry

I don’t know a thing about flooding so I probably shouldn’t even be commenting in the first place.

Maybe there will be some miracle and rain won’t finish off the whole dam.

It doesn’t look good to me at all.

I’m afraid it will start a domino effect from hell from more rain and melting snowpack on top of everything else. There are a lot of levees in this state. Sometimes I wonder what would be left if they all failed and I just hurry up and push that thought out of my head.

I’m sure this will cause long lasting statewide problems.


456 posted on 02/12/2017 10:59:08 PM PST by Califreak (All Alinsky All The Time)
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To: janetjanet998

The video coverage of this disaster has really sucked. The first responsibility of society is to assure the entertainment of those not directly effected by these events. I am calling for a boycott of all products advertised while the dam failure is not presented to us in a proper carnival atmosphere. If and when the videos from the site improve, the boycott can be stopped.

Thank you.


457 posted on 02/12/2017 11:02:27 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: kingu

I always tell people to be very careful what they pray for.

The people who want secession might get it but under very unpleasant circumstances.


458 posted on 02/12/2017 11:03:11 PM PST by Califreak (All Alinsky All The Time)
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To: greeneyes

Thank you for the information.


459 posted on 02/12/2017 11:03:58 PM PST by Califreak (All Alinsky All The Time)
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To: Califreak

Well, they’re talking about worst case at present being 30 ft from the reservoir being cut loose due to the spillway damage, to my understanding. Water will find it’s level and that will be the rivers and streams. I’m sure there are topographical maps available, from the county GIS site if nowhere else, showing elevation. How much commercial and residential property is endangered with a 30 ft flood crest? Is the entire valley relatively flat or is it hilly? Are all the towns right on the river?

Massive flooding in the aftermath of hurricanes is common here in NC on the coastal plain, it’s relatively flat but there are still safe areas that are above the flood crest. This typically goes on for weeks, since rainfall inland works its way downstream to the affected areas. Yes, it’s a nightmare and yes it’s an expensive mess but it’s not Katrina all over again.

Don’t give in to fatalism, it’ll be OK in the long run. A lot of work appears to be in order between now and then, though, whether or not the dam fails. It needs to be repaired or you’ll be right back in this position again in the future.


460 posted on 02/12/2017 11:18:56 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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