Posted on 02/28/2014 8:07:24 PM PST by steve86
A massive crack in a major Columbia River dam poses enough of a risk of dam failure that Grant County authorities have activated an emergency-response plan.
Officials said there is no threat to the public from the crack in the Wanapum Dam, which is just down stream from where Interstate 90 crosses the river.
But utility managers are lowering water levels a total of 20 feet because they fear the structure otherwise could endanger inspectors trying to get a better handle on how seriously the dam is damaged.
“At this point we already know there’s a serious problem,” said Thomas Stredwick, spokesman for the Grant County Public Utility District (PUD). “We want to make sure the spillway is stable enough that inspectors are safe when inspecting it.”
Earlier this week, an engineer noticed a slight irregular “bowing” above the spillway gates near where cars can drive across the dam.
[...]
Wanapum, just below the Gorge amphitheater and the tiny hamlet of Vantage, is in a rural area. Failure would primarily impact fisherman, orchardists, farmers, boaters — and, of course, power generation. Wanapum currently can generate more than 1,000 megawatts of power.
PUD officials have lowered the water 6 feet behind the dam since discovering the problem earlier in the week, leaving many boat ramps above the dam inaccessible
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
Is this the one with the fish ladder where you can watch the fish navigating through the dam? Maybe they all have fish ladders.
I see what you did there...
Good chance you’re thinking about McNary — downstream from us.
Could be. We drove to where the pioneers had to take to the river in order to keep going. Fond memories.
Does this job call for the telephone or the pen?
dam(n) crack.
crack kills.
Nope, I’m a sinker
I pray for your safety and for others there.
All they need to do is use “Flex Seal” to repair the dam.
http://flexsealbrite.net/images/flexsealboat.jpg
And if they act now they can get a 2nd can to repair another dam.
If Wanapum lets go we won’t need the Vit Plant and Inslee can stop fretting about deadlines.
( FYI Freepers: Hanford Nuclear Reservation is just downstream the next dam, Priest Rapids. Vitrification Plant will turn high level atomic waste into glass to store at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, or Harry Reid’s behind, which ever is available when the plant is built.)
Damn that’s a lot of crack!
Flex Seal and Duck Tape. It’s dealing with water isn’t it?
If they order a train load will they get a 2nd train load?
different spelling.....
Wow.
That’s scary.
Are you wearing your swim trunks and snorkel, Steve?
The Columbia is north and east of downtown Portland, so even a dam break would probably not impact it.
Vancouver, Washington, however, has it’s front lawn on the Columbia.
The dam engineers will have to figure out something really fast.
Spring rains and snow melt start in a month.
Seattle is about 125 miles northwest of the dam.
We are no where near the Columbia, so no water issues, but probably some power issues if they have to pull the generators off line.
I had no idea.
My Outlook Express and Bing maps are probably all out there.
The folks in Redmond better be working all weekend on contingency plans if those generators go down.
That must mean he’s a “Dam Engineer”?
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