[CedarDave]

Well written, lengthy article that examines how today's society ignores the brilliance of yesterday when it comes to planning for the future, and that those structures built then need maintenance and repair to keep them working. Instead, due to lawsuits and bureaucracy (not to mention spending money as if CA was a socialist state), future projects are unaffordable and unlikely to be built. As for environmentalists, he writes that on occasion they support money for repair of dam spillways, but mainly to ensure that water can be released for protection of endangered fish species and wetlands rather than use by Central Valley farmers.

[kiryandil]

[djf]

I saw a show on PBS where they were studying the layers of dirt on the coastal areas and in the known fault lines of California.

Mostly for indicators of weather patterns.

The conclusion was absolute and unarguable. California has been built up (some would say overbuilt) in the last 200-250 years, and the weather for that period of time has been unusual, almost remarkably serene.
Quiet.

When it returns to normal... well, I’ll let you think about that!

[Excellence]

The people who really should suffer, won’t.

[Paladin2]

Money quote:

"Californians have become squatters of sorts on an infrastructure that others built"

[Falcon4.0]

I am confused. Didn't they build flood gates into this damn so that they can open them to release over flow?
Or is it just a high tech Beaver Damn?

[CatOwner]

I really don’t want to leave the state (in Silicon Valley, CA), but I can’t wait for the $500/mo water bills just for basic usage. At least in No. California. So. California will, as usual, waste a ton of money keeping a desert green.

[Libertynotfree]

Did we passed to build 3 dams few years ago? Where is the money?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Just dam.

[SaxxonWoods]

Hanson (I’m a fan) is wrong when he writes that the dam may fail. Not going to fail yet anyway. The evacuation has been lifted and people are being allowed to go back home, for now.

The water level has dropped enough to remediate things quite a bit. The wild card is the coming rain.

Hanson is right in general with the rest of his thoughts.

[Seaplaner]

Is Jerry Brown not responsible for the entire dam(n) situation?

[Elsie]

Oroville dam, the tallest in the nation, is currently in danger of structural failure.

Oh?

I've heard the dam is fine; but the spillways are in deep doodoo!

[Golden Gate]

My best suggestion is could they use steel I-beams to build a structure to:

1. Support the wall of the E-Spill.
2. Have steel plating on top, and the excess water could run over the top for... ? 50 feet to 200 feet...? This would protect the ground near the E-Spill.

(Note: I also have some similar ideas for repairing the big hole in the "Main" Spillway... hopefully will post on Thursday.)

SEE my rough diagram here below for the E-Spill support. I don't have time for more labeling or explaination. Hope to be back on line tomorrow before noon.

Note the use of large "augers" drilled into the ground to anchor it. Maybe use heavy cable or chain to attach the I-beam frame structure to the anchors. Also, consider the use of an abundance of heavy concrete "K-rail" freeway barriers to help add weight. Maybe design and build them into the structure as they weld it together.

Get the Ironworkers & Welders working on this! (...upon approval by DWR / Army Corp)



FYI: Image Link: IMG: http://i65.tinypic.com/n2bvpg.jpg