How ironic. DWR finds a Spring Under the Spillway after Kiewit evacuated the clay to bedrock. This "spring" is shown leaking water down the rock and forming a "pool" at the original Blowout Failure location (See Fig 2).
At the same time of DWR finding and now "studying" this Natural Spring underneath the Spillway, DWR publishes a report on the Green Spot on the Dam that is devoid of their original analyses presented as "a Natural Spring" and "Natural Springs" by DWR engineer(s) to the public.
DWR is "all in" on the new position of "rainfall only". So why does DWR ignore the extensive 2014 Dam Failure analysis FERC Part 12D report given by DWR to FERC stating their are "Natural Springs" in the Left Abutment? That in certain conditions, these "Natural Springs" represent a Potential Failure Mode (PFM) to the Dam? Yet in their new Green Spot report all of this is missing? Is DWR putting out a report that is mainly to deal with "Public Relations" rather than a full in-depth analysis? (such as the Part 12D 2014 original analysis)?
There are numerous discrepancies in the new Green Spot report that DWR is preventing outside independent experts from analyzing (references and sources).
The "discovery" of this Spring underneath the Spillway seems very ironic considering DWR's "narratives" re: Green Spot Report.
This all leads back to the question to the demonstrated "narrative" history by DWR: "Engineering Incompetence or Calculated Engineering Deception? - On the Record Examples from DWR officials in Press Releases, Town Halls, to the Press, and Testimony in State Legislative Hearings 2017". See post link. DWR Organizational Ethics? - Engineering Incompetence or Calculated Engineering Deception?
*April 27, 2017, town hall meeting: DWR engineer states to the public that the Green Wet Area caused by "a Natural Spring". DWR then "backs off" when it's pointed out that water cannot flow uphill. At the next town hall meeting in May, DWR then says Green Area is from "rain" (doesn't even mention a "Natural Spring" or explain why the DWR engineer was incorrect (seemingly) in his analysis/statement at the April 27 meeting).
Fig 1. DWR finds "Natural Spring" under spillway after excavating "clay". Spring & its end flow is in large clay seam area of the "plunge pool" & flows to the Blowout Failure area. Green Spot Report dropped "Natural Springs" from original DWR statements/analysis in town hall meetings (Irony). DWR using a "sump pump" to keep the spring water pumped out and away.
Fig 2. Origin of "Natural Spring" and its flow within and to the original large/deep clay seam of the blowout failure area. Spring Elevation is below reservoir level over 100ft at date of photo. Likely an aquifer source as evidenced by other prior seepage imagery from the original spillway construction (postcard image)
