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Oroville Dam neighbors and downstream residents blasted California officials for claiming they should not worry about hundreds of cracks in the newly reconstructed dam spillway.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) public presentation to City of Oroville and downstream Feather River residents deteriorated into a screaming match after the state’s dam experts tried to reassure the community that there was nothing to see in the string of hairline cracks that have developed just weeks after finishing the $275 million first phase of rebuilding of the dam’s spillways.
Residents hammered the DWR with complaints, asking why they ought to believe the State of California after officials were not honest with the community regarding the breadth of safety problems that were known for almost a decade.
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But the Sacramento Bee reported in late November that that cracks were first detected in September “when the first phase was nearing completion.” The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which has federal oversight over the California-owned dam, instructed DWR on October 2 to investigate “cracking of the erosion resistant concrete” and to recommend any further steps necessary to address infrastructure risks.
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But KQED reported last week that Robert Bea, professor emeritus of civil engineering and founder of the respected UC Berkeley Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, stated: “Cracking in high-strength reinforced concrete structures is never to be expected.” He added that when large volumes of water cascade down the spillway at speeds approaching 90 miles per hour, even small cracks can increase stresses on concrete.
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