Oroville Dam Auxiliary Spillway Failure

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Reinforced concrete is a heck of a lot more expensive and technology-intensive. If the conditions are right for an earth dam, it may be the right solution, provided the spillways, etc. are properly built and maintained *cough*. For example, one of my engineering professors told me about three dams straddling the San Andreas fault that were basically built in the early 20th century with earth movers to bring the dirt and large flocks of sheep* to compact it. Those dams have done fine through a lot of earthquakes.

Did your professor talk about this dam? Not sure they used sheep but it might have helped.. Its real close to the San Andreas Fault and was made of concrete.


[video=youtube;_6AvEZO34xI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6AvEZO34xI[/video]
 
I do have a question- why earthen dams? Is it a cost issue? Seems to me that a steel reinforced concrete dam would be much more durable.

Here's a list of the largest 21 dams in the world. Notice that the top 19 are all earth filled or rock filled.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_dams

Also, list of pluses and minuses for earth filled dam construction:
https://civilblog.org/2015/05/27/what-are-the-advantages-disadvantages-of-earth-dams/


Steve Shannon
 
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There might be something to that. After all, these big pices of construction equipment are referred to as a "Sheepfoot."

dynapac-ca30d-sheepfoot,555f5b45.jpg


You beat me to it. ;)
 
That's probably why the Oroville dam is having problems --- shady contractors skimped on the goats during construction.
 
[video=youtube;Nrz-U1yxOWM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrz-U1yxOWM[/video]

This guy's been doing a day-by-day.
 
[video=youtube;Nrz-U1yxOWM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrz-U1yxOWM[/video]

This guy's been doing a day-by-day.

Interesting reporting. Wonder if this guy is from Oroville; I don't recognize him. What a shame, all the money DWR is losing due to lost power generation. Add that to the loss of the Thermalito Powerplant a few years ago due to fire, that loss of revenue grows even larger.

Contrary to what this guy says about "who pays," I believe it will be "some" taxpayers, better called "water users." I'm guessing that anybody whose water bill comes from the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California will see a spike in their monthly water bill, but I could be wrong.
 
They have cleared enough of the blockage to the power plant that they have started spinning the turbines back up to make power. I think at full capacity the power plant flows 12,000 CFM, they might just have a handle on this thing. The areas that will need to be repaired are ravaged and huge holes carved out of the rock. It's going to take tons of concrete and rebar to fix this....

[video=youtube;zWNwBm9uwJI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWNwBm9uwJI[/video]
 
They have cleared enough of the blockage to the power plant that they have started spinning the turbines back up to make power. I think at full capacity the power plant flows 12,000 CFM, they might just have a handle on this thing. The areas that will need to be repaired are ravaged and huge holes carved out of the rock. It's going to take tons of concrete and rebar to fix this....

I am super duper extra curious as to exactly how in the world they are going to fix all that. That process will be fascinating.
 
The main spillway is smoked. I finally saw the picture with some cars and trucks parked close. The scale of the hole, if you can call it that, is huge. The hole has to be 100-150 feet long, the entire width of the spillway, and has dredged what has to be a 50-75 deep trench. Water wins.
 
I think that backfilling the gap and building on top of that is off the table, just too unstable. Possibility two is bridging the gap with a highway-type construction. The bridge pillars would have scoured rock to be fastened to. Third is to shoot rockbolts into the rock for rebar that follows the contour of the excavation made by the water. Line a passage with rebar sprayed with Gunite/Shotcrete. Gunite is concrete that is a sprayed application that builds up filling in with no gaps. I hope there someone that follows up on this, keeps reporting until the work is competed.

[video=youtube;VkCHBj4dYVw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkCHBj4dYVw[/video]
 
The main spillway is smoked. I finally saw the picture with some cars and trucks parked close. The scale of the hole, if you can call it that, is huge. The hole has to be 100-150 feet long, the entire width of the spillway, and has dredged what has to be a 50-75 deep trench. Water wins.

LOL!!

When I train new construction techs I always tell them that one of the most important questions in all of civil engineering is, "Where does the water go?" Now I need to add, "Water wins" to those little talks.
 
LOL!!

When I train new construction techs I always tell them that one of the most important questions in all of civil engineering is, "Where does the water go?" Now I need to add, "Water wins" to those little talks.

You have to admit it is true.

I live in Wisconsin. We usually have winter here although this year has been light. The damage done to roads by water freezing is amazing.

I figure that eventually all structures will lose to water. Water over time can erode mountains into hills or flat land. In time, unless constantly attended to, all Man made structures will be gone.
 
[video=youtube;5xa_Q1R7mGs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xa_Q1R7mGs[/video]

Update. They are working like busy beavers on the dam projects. And as I figured they are spraying Shotcrete over the areas under the top side lip to prevent further erosion.
 
Some of the power plant turbines have been restarted already now that the river has been dredged.

The last three turbines should be started this week. With all of them running, the outflow should be 14,500 cfs...enough to accomodate the inflows projected from rain and snow melt this season.
 
Today's update, great view of the most current erosion from the last gate opening.

[video=youtube;lcFgyL6sJRw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcFgyL6sJRw[/video]
 
both of those videos make me say,"wow!" I knew the dam was huge, but those videos really show how enormous they are.
 
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