oroville dam spillway

Mar 2, 2017 2:06 AM

ideasman69

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1508719

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19762

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106

Water flowing down a dam spillway

2011 - This is how the spillway is designed to work.

Feb 7 - residents visiting the spillway noticed water shooting upwards from the spillway whilst an ongoing flood release of 50,000 cubic feet per second was occurring.

After closing the spillway to investigate, a crator was discovered. High inflows to Lake Oroville forced dam operators to continue using the damaged spillway, causing additional damage.

Human for scale - this thing is enormous! The spillway hole had grown to 300 feet (91 m) wide, 500 feet (152 m) long and 45 feet (14 m) deep.

Feb 11 - the emergency spillway (also known as auxiliary spillway) began carrying water for the first time since the dam's construction in 1968.

Feb 11 - The flow topped out at 12,600 cu ft/s and the water flowed directly onto the earthen hillside below the emergency spillway, as per design. However, headward erosion of the emergency spillway threatened to undermine and collapse the concrete weir.

Feb 12 - an evacuation was ordered for those in low-lying areas along the Feather River Basin in Butte, Yuba and Sutter counties, due to possible failure of the emergency spillway. The flow over the main spillway was increased to 100,000 cu ft/s to try to slow erosion of the emergency spillway.

The water from the emergency spillway continued to flow heavily making its way downhill.

The amount of erosion caused the worry that the emergency spillway wall could fail and release ~30 feet of water.

Feb 13 - The damage caused by the emergency spillway overflow was made clear the next day as the dam level dropped.

Feb 17 - After more heavy rain the main spillway was getting worse with the majority of outflow making its own path to the right of the spillway.

Oroville Dam spillway damage from recent California storms

Feb 18 - worse again - main spillway exit barely used.

Feb 18 - Emergency spillway repairs continue.

Feb 20 @ night - main spillway

Feb 28 - we can finally see the damage caused over the past few weeks

Feb 28 - epic destruction.

Oroville Dam spillway damage, Feb 28

Feb 28 - Top down

Feb 28 - more humans for scale.

(edit: Mar 1 update here: https://imgur.com/gallery/6IyCi)
(edit 2: Mar 2 update here: https://imgur.com/gallery/YgatJ)

Damn water you scary!

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Get some geologists in there to study the low-level rocks there while they can; they'll never have an easier time of it.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

That's a dam good post.

9 years ago | Likes 57 Dislikes 5

you made me spill my drink, unlike the spillway

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

"You can ask me all your dam question, and take all of your dam pictures"

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Where can I get some dam bait?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Holy shitfuck. I hadn't realized the extent of the damage from the emergency spillway. Oroville is the tallest dam in the US, btw.

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

BOC: "History shows again and again, how nature points out the folly of men!" -Godzilla

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Wasn't the guys' who designed the dam fault

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Couldn't get the measurements right, where are the bananas?

9 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 1

There's a banana in every image, but the dam is so big you can't see them. What it needs is a school bus for scale.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I was confused at first but apparently one human equals at least twelve bananas

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Should have used a Jose!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I thought it was a Juan?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

[deleted]

[deleted]

9 years ago (deleted Oct 21, 2024 11:32 PM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

I sit corrected. You are an awesome person.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Making me concerned moist

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 157 Dislikes 3

The more I learn about the U.S. The more its organisational structure reminds me of Eastern Europe. Not to be disrespectful, just observing.

9 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 6

Na most of stuff was built in the 50s and no obe wants to build new ones.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Source: I have lived in both places

9 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 2

You know, by saying "not to be disrespectful", you were kind of disrespectful towards Eastern Europe...

9 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 4

...if anything, I was disrespectful towards the U.S.

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 10

Difference being Eastern Europe tries in spite of lack of good materials/educated labor. We don't have an excuse here.

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

But but... The right & Trump says our military is small & weak & underfunded because Obama was a wuss! Surely they wouldn't lie!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

why so humble? I expected this to get downvoted to somewhere else?

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

Be water, my friend

9 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

After years of drought, californians are grateful for the rain this season.

9 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

No, if anything they're bitching about too much rain. As a general rule, anyways

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Not exactly

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

who let things get this way? string them up by their innards.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Probably first place to start are those who MBC'd about tax increases to pay for those things.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

As a civil engineer ... it's my professional opinion that this no bueno

9 years ago | Likes 72 Dislikes 2

*takes notes*

9 years ago | Likes 29 Dislikes 0

Thousand of dollars well spent in Engineering school, right here.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Indeed, this is Oroville. Bueno is a river in Chile.

9 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

Right?

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yay Civils!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

lol, half of my friends ended up being civil engineers

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Well, thank goodness they're not uncivil engineers.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

very astute

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

v

9 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 1

This was the first "natural disaster" I ever experienced. The mass panic in town was unlike anything. It felt like an apocalypse movie.

9 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

I read stories about Trump voters saying they felt like refugees. Not a 1:1 comparison but sad that only direct action brings any empathy.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Interesting.Do you just mean a run on grocery stores, or rioting in the streets?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

People were just panicking. It's a weird sight to see all of my neighbors out at the same time frantically packing their cars to leave. 1/3

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The grocery store I was at when the evac alert was sent out closed within 30min and everyone was rushing and talking about the dam. 2/3

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

A friend of mines house was broken into the night of the day the evac alert was sent out. Family and friends were blowing up my phone. 3/3

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wow. Thanks.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

See, our state could've been putting money into important things like this, but noooo. Jerry Brown wants his train...

9 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 4

If, in the middle of the drought over the last few years, anyone had suggested worrying about historic flooding... laughter would follow.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Ah yes, I remember Governor Moon Beam Ronstadt. I left that state and I don't miss the politics.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

I can't wait until I leave this craptacular state

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

There is life outside of California.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Welp, we all heard about this, but I for one had no idea what it actually looked like. Thanks @OP!

9 years ago | Likes 2320 Dislikes 8

I was thinking the same thing. +1 from me! Also, the forces of nature never cease to amaze me, water especially.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

So, the emergency spillway problem could have been avoided had they just armored the first bit of it with concrete. Nice work Cali.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Not just that, over the years to save money they cut the findings for dam inspections and even removed emergency warning equipment. 1/3

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Only the old retired guys even remembered strict protocols were in place to handle disasters, including sirens and evacuate procedures 2/3

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

These were completely eliminated to save money. In Feb 2017, sheriff admitted zero contingency plans existed. Dam was just ignored.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

They spent all their money pandering to illegal immigrants and other failed government programs. What do you expect?

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

What's going on dad?

9 years ago | Likes 39 Dislikes 2

This needs more +1

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

Thank god for drones. Amazing footage, making a story about how some concrete washed away look more like a grand canyon documentary

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Dam that sucks

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Yeah, but water you gonna do?

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I knew but not to this detail. Gullies gullies everywheres!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

♫ Makin' my way downhill, bustin' rocks, on my way to your hometowwwnn....♫

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I didn't but would much rather see hear about these things than the 24/7 trump coverage.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Thanks for that OP. I'm living in Texas and Oroville is basically my hometown. Nice to see videos. Ty

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You know, it looks like a new canyon formation. A bit like the Scablands in Eastern WA, which were formed pretty similarly.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

too bad it can't be allowed to go with the flow, and just try to use the new channel it has cut as the new spillway.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You mean formed from a dam spilling?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah, except the dam was about 2-3 miles tall in the Ice Ages, and the lake was half of Montana. Spilled a few times

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Ok so that was a natural formation? If you have pictures of the place it would be nice if you do a post. And you can add the explanation of/

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

2/ how it came to be. Would be interesting. If you post please send me a link.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I know it's broken and ill maintained but the engineering behind it all is impressive.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

True but I remember similar problems with the levee system in New Orleans where overflow eroded the base structures. Design problems.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Engineers learned a hell of a lot out of this catastrophe, guaranteed.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I didn't.

9 years ago | Likes 159 Dislikes 5

[deleted]

[deleted]

9 years ago (deleted Mar 12, 2017 1:56 AM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

Lol @ California

9 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

And they say it took "millions" of years to make the Grand Canyon - sheesh

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Mostly because the water forming the Grand Canyon was frozen.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

That sounds interesting but for God's sake, start using SI units! Measuring water in pounds?!?

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

Hush now, let them revel in paganism while we directly convert cubic meter of water into kilogram.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Water will find a way

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

*spillway

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

"Feb 28 - more humans for scale." Fuck that's a big dam.

9 years ago | Likes 46 Dislikes 0

I liked "The water from the emergency spillway continued to flow heavily making its way downhill." as opposed to...uphill...

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

tallest earthen dam in the US (world maybe?)

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Imagine walking around in there. It'd be kind of frightening knowing that if water started coming down, all you can do is accept your fate.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Damn ents.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Contrary to common belief, it is called the emergency spillway because using it causes an emergency, not the other way around.

9 years ago | Likes 1225 Dislikes 16

Spillway emergency spillway.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Nbc nightly news messed up & said "officials have opened the emergency spillway". Its like saying they opened the top of a bucket haha

9 years ago | Likes 75 Dislikes 2

Literally LOL'd

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

So it doesn't mitigate problems, just notify us of them? It's a red flag, not a bandaid?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It's like how when your car's crumple zones crumple, that's a red flag that your car may have a problem. Then the airbag applies a band-aid.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

i'd like to know where you got that definition from please.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Where is tarnation did you hear this?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Heard a dumbass reporter ask if they'll start "testing" the emergency spillway in the future. THE WHOLE POINT IS NOT TO USE IT!

9 years ago | Likes 30 Dislikes 13

This kinda was the test. They found out the hard way.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I mean, it seems prudent to test the emergency measure before the day it's needed.

9 years ago | Likes 27 Dislikes 6

Look at the image again and then tell me how you propose to do that?

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 5

It's something that would have needed to be done long before this point, or right after repairs are made & the emergency passes.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 3

Yeah! Every few years, we'll dump a couple million gallons of water into the lake to see what happens!

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 4

Kinda hard to test something that literally requires the lake to overflow when you're in a drought.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

(1) Are you serious? The emergency spillway is just a wall thats a bit lower than the rest of the dam. It can't be tested without filling

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Up a cup.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

(2) the lake to the brim, which is dangerous. The emergency spillway is just a way to make an imminent catastrophic failure a little less

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Messy while getting it in the butt.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

(3) serious.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

The whole point is to have a working emergency spillway....

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

"Why call it that,boss?" "Because if water is spilling its way over this wall,there's an emergency, and we're screwed" -Architects, probably

9 years ago | Likes 404 Dislikes 5

Doomsday spillway.

9 years ago | Likes 56 Dislikes 0

Yeah how about we just DON'T build that one and just hope for the best? Cause, you know, "Doomsday" sounds at least as bad as "Monday"

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

What if Doomsday falls on a Monday?

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Then the earth falls on a Monday. We are going the fuck down, faster than you would believe.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Then we don't have to work the rest of the week.

9 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

Just an FYI architects don't usually design dams, that's typically a civil engineer

9 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 1

As an architect, I draft up damns all the time. Most of my designs are damns, infact. I havent designed a dam yet.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

He did say probably.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Didn't mean to offend just inform :D

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Well ok, but the gist of the joke was understood :D

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

I'm being pedantic, I know :p v

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Since my son is an engineer, I'm with you. I hate it when architects take the credit when engineers are the ones doing the work.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Civil Engineer here, i cant stress enough THANK YOU. Running joke with my friends is to call me an architect any chance they get

9 years ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 1

LIAR!!! Civil engineers don't have friends

9 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 1

As an architect I totally get where you're coming from. Many people aren't aware of the different roles & expertise of architects/engineers

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

When I think of both jobs, I just think of all the math I never used and imagine people that get paid lots more than me :p

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

We should totally do a joint post about the architect/ engineer divide and their different responsibilities

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 2

I am sorry that I barely saw this and 100% want in on this. Would you want to cover more of the architecture part and coordinate posting?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That would be spectacular

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I was thinking it doesn't seem to work very well as a backup, I guess I now know why...

9 years ago | Likes 72 Dislikes 1

Yeah. I was wondering why the Emergency Spillway path wasn't protected at all from erosion.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's intended for when heavy rains are outflowing the main spillway, not for complete load while the main spillway ceases to function.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's not really a backup. It's just the direction they decided was least catastrophic.

9 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 1

No.... emergency spillways are meant to be backups, in this case the backup was just poorly designed for reasons I'm not sure of, I would...

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

No. A backup can be used at will. This is just the lowest point in the wall. The only way to "use" it is to let the water level get up there

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Well yes they can use it whenever they need to, what I was trying to address is the claim someone made the the backup is just made where...

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Assume that it was due to the damn being designed during a time when the importance of avoiding erosion at the base of the damn wasn't as...

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

We'll understood

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Damn

9 years ago | Likes 1536 Dislikes 14

Hot damn

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

and this is how you wipe out fucking Isengard

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 75 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

v

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Dam*

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 4

Wheres the dam bathroom?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Right there with the dam bait

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Stay with the damn dam tour please

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

God dam.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

1999 championship game?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Not anymore

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Internal screaming

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What's with the Dam pictures?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Spillway. Spillway. Spillway. Spillway. Spillway. I like it.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

*Dam

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 4

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

"Damn, double damn, and an extra slice of damn for the weekend" - 'Peter', A Bit of Fry and Laurie.

9 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 27 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

*Dam

9 years ago | Likes 209 Dislikes 12

Sigh.....

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Damn dam damn

9 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 0

Daaayuum! Ghetto grocery bags. Daaaam.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Your going to hell.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

*you're

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

My bad thx

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Yeah...Oh yeah, you gone learn today, Trey

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Water. Water finds it it's own way. Or water makes its own way. Water is a rebel. Be like water

9 years ago | Likes 128 Dislikes 3

If you put water in a cup it becomes the cup

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

If you put water in a cup it becomes the cup

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

"You must be shapeless, formless, like water. . . Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water, my friend"

9 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

I'm in California and have seen tons of coverage on this. You broke it down better than anyone I've seen. Way to go. The name is ???? too

9 years ago | Likes 104 Dislikes 1

100% agree -- tried to follow this closely as a Californian but couldn't make heads or tails of the structural problems until now

9 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

News reports said there was a UAV flying around preventing helicopters from dumping rocks to try to help the emergency spillway.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

My dad works in Oroville. He was supposed to go back to work the day they started evacuating. It's been wild.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Cool story

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

So yeah... let's spend 20something billion dollars on a useless wall, while infrastructure like this crumbles.

9 years ago | Likes 43 Dislikes 17

Well lets not forget about the millions being spent to keep CA a sanctuary state. Dump the illegals and fix infrastructure.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

They knew about it 12 years ago. Great State of California, huh?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Great idea!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

If only there was a source of cheap labour to help us build things..... trololololo

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I hope we start up the civilian construction corps again, put people to work making stuff, rather than sitting around.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I mean the state of California is spending 200billion on a pointless high speed rail project instead of oroville. Plus the Dam isn't 1/2

9 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 2

Federal it's state maintained so you can't really go after federal allocation of funds about this

9 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 0

Oh God the boondoggle, gift to the cronies, money pit regular speed train...as a Californian.. Fuck that train and Jerry Brown.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

Yeah seems like it was a little lucky that we moved when we did. I just keep looking out there and think "sucks to live there"

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Not so much that it sucks to live here, just sucks to pay high taxes and have it get burned in a dumpster.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah I hear that

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Good news: California gets it's own Grand Canyon

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Bad news: People's homes were there.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Other news: Californian environmentalists couldn't care less and are rejoicing at natures latest victory over man.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

I was evacuated from this mess, way to put that time line together +1

9 years ago | Likes 2423 Dislikes 11

I live fairly close to oroville so I agree, this was well put together and a good way to get it out there

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I wasn't affected by this but the rain was crazy! I've never seen anything like it up here. Interesting to see something so close on imgur

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I was in traffic with you! For 3 damn hours

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That was the worst

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

My usual 40min drive from live oak to Chico took 3 hours... I feel your pain dude

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Was crazy stuff, my gf lives by the dam and had to come stay with me.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I was out of work 2 days due to the evacuation.

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Same yo. And then my company refused to compensate us for the days that we had to miss..

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Hello neighbor! Glad you're okay

9 years ago | Likes 36 Dislikes 0

Yay northern Californians!

9 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 0

Yay! I grew up in Yuba City. :)

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Hi neighbor! I grew up in Rocklin :D

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We da bomb!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Theres dozens of us!

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

DOZENS!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

DOZENS!

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Go northern California family

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Residents of Butte evacuated due to uncontrollable discharge

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

Heehehehe

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

the worst part is, someone told them this would happen what, 30 years ago?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

There are dozens of us! Dozens! ...Specifically 200,000!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

U fled Dan lol

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Ha!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Serious question, I read that the Governor of Cali. used the money to keep this up to standard on other projects around Cali. Any truth

9 years ago | Likes 245 Dislikes 7

No. A southern CA commision made the call to mot repair it, the only governmental failure is not overriding a private commision.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Considering we haven't received any aide quite yet? No.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Nope, there was a sinkhole under the spillway. When the pressure of the water push over it, the sinkhole caved in. Nothing can prevent those

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I seem to remember the main point of oversight was to leave the emergency spillway as essentially just a hillside instead of reinforcing it?

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

Basically this sadly. We were told in 2006 it needed work done on it but diverted the money because why worry about a food in a drought

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

The state also under extensive budget crises, state worker furloughs, including teachers, were not uncommon.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I don't know if it's true but if you think about it california had seen almost no rain and was in a drought I don't know much about 1/

9 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

It's not true. The funding is intentionally allocated into the general fund so it can be poached for politician's pet projects.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's the same for infrastructure maintenance and education. It's a gigantic scam where the bureaucrats tax into the general fund and then

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

have no obligation to spend on those projects because it's the general fund. It's fundamentally corrupt at every level.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

California's governor but assuming he did and he was acting in good faith and competently if the state needed money for something 2/

9 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

A dam would have seemed like a safe bet for where they could afford to borrow some money, I dont think anyone expected that kind of rain 3/3

9 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

[deleted]

[deleted]

9 years ago (deleted Aug 24, 2025 10:46 PM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

to this? If so then the Cali. government completely failed it's citizens.

9 years ago | Likes 141 Dislikes 8

California's government completely failing its citizens?! A shocking revelation that has been newly brought to light!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Mind listing the article? Public works projects go to the lowest bidders.. but with CA standards, a failure here would fail anywhere else.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

They do that here in Cali.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

They need the Arrow.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

Could you explain to me please?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I mean I would say probably without knowing for sure but that sounds like every single state government. Nobody wants to raise taxes

9 years ago | Likes 86 Dislikes 2

California's is not traditionally one of those. That being said, the governor's been keeping a tight grip on finances...

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Not to mention that California only receives about .65 back per dollar sent in federal taxes while other states receive $2-3 per dollar sent

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

To afford needed infrastructure spending. Raising taxes is political suicide.

9 years ago | Likes 51 Dislikes 0

Not in Ireland. Our political system doesn't give a damn about it's populace. Pun not intended.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

So the government's of stage typically will rain designated spending on certain projects to try and use elsewhere.

9 years ago | Likes 27 Dislikes 0

There was a crack in the spillway under the water. I don't think more money could have prevented that. Would be cheaper to prevent though.

9 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 2

You have no idea what you're talking about, then. Maintenance funding comes from the general fund, and is constantly poached.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I've attended presentations from the director of CALTRANS about how the bureaucrats constantly take maintenance funds for pet projects.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

They could've used the secondary spillway in shorter bursts, perform maintenance over time before cracking. It was known it was vulnerable.

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 2

I doubt shorter bursts was an option.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

My extended family lives in this area, it's been known for years that repairs/main. were needed but never done.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

No one saw this rain coming. As a Californian, if he had been spending taxes to fix dams in the middle of a six year drought while the..cont

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

state was burning to the ground, I would have been pissed. The money that went to immigrants was separate from infrastructure spending.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

We are not just handing money to Mexicans, they are simply using hospitals and stuff which technically is funded under infrastructure budget

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

They were told years ago it would be 200mil to get it repaired and up to standard, but didn't do so, but spend 25bil a yr on illegals

9 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 56

Yeah! Theres a pic of inspectors looking at the water shoot out from the seams of the concrete in 2013. Couldve fixed it when water was low

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

Care to elaborate with data? Articles? Or are you just going to spout off about shit you know nothing about from conservative rhetoric?

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

But you know I get down voted for truth anyways. And the $ spent on illegals is easily Google too

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

Poor you. Your "truth" is biased and those sources are from conservative think tanks and studies used to push their agenda. Are you from CA

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Hey, me too! I'm impressed by the turn out of people from here. There's dozens of us!

9 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

I see what you did there

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Hey me too! Well, Chico..

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Chico State!

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Water is strong af

9 years ago | Likes 637 Dislikes 3

The strongest of all...... if given enough time

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Moving water

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

yup

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

cut water in half, you have two smaller water that can reform to one bigger water. water win every time

9 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 1

Universal solvent. Check.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Water don't give a shit

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

I am like 70℅ water ^^

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

The most destructive force on the planet.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Water is dam strong! heh.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

But exactly how strong are fucks?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Fucking strong. Duh!

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

as strong as tree fifty

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It is the best Type, after all.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Be like water

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's heavy as fuck.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Heavy*

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Crazy how nature do dat

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

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[deleted]

9 years ago (deleted Jul 16, 2017 2:17 AM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

Hail Hydrate

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

Ghaa haha that's a timely one! RIP Agent Garrett. Also, Hail Hydra!!! ✊

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Water can flow, or it can crash. Truly a legend ahead of his time

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Rip the legend

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Most corrosive force on earth

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

It's shaped the world; eroded mountains, carved canyons, creating flood basins, sculpted mesas. Even a trickle can do a lot given the time

9 years ago | Likes 66 Dislikes 2

Da Vinci once used water to carve out a set of steps. Tried finding source but I can only remember it from seeing his codex at an exhibit

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And it did it all following the path of least resistance!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Exactly what I was going to say, hydraulic action is the most powerful thing on earth, considering how often it occurs and changes the world

9 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Well, tectonic action is stronger, it can RAISE mountains, but hydraulic is a close second.

9 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Sure of course, it moves entire continents but Im talking about the simple action of rain falling every day and tides. Its unstoppable power

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

What about fire? Lava. Krakatoa island blown off the map by a volcano.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

That technically falls under tectonics.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

That is also hydralic, kindof. but it is a different medium, it is powered by Magma instead of Water

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I think it'd be called magmatic, while magma is a liquid, it's much denser.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0