The new and improved Oroville Dam spillway is up and splashing.

April 13, 2019 4:20 PM

The test spills are pretty spectacular. Quick and dirty explanation of the project. LA Times article from just before the tests. The scary and messy previously.
posted by Bee'sWing (21 comments total)

Maybe not the best video presentations, but I think it is an impressive project.
posted by Bee'sWing at 4:27 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

Whole lotta energy there!
posted by Oyéah at 4:32 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]

FYI, LA Times article is paywalled.

Whenever I see these drone shots, I wonder what they paid someone to take them and produce the PR videos and permissions.

Drones are illegal at almost all parks and dams in California (including Oroville).

Interesting they use an illegal activity to then promote the new project....
posted by CrowGoat at 4:33 PM on April 13, 2019

The future Mr Gittes, the future.
posted by SkinnerSan at 4:43 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

CrowGoat - isn't the lake (and dam) in a state park? It looks like drones are allowed unless specifically prohibited in state parks, and I'm guessing the DWR can get commercial authorization.
posted by sysinfo at 5:29 PM on April 13, 2019

Also, that LA Times link isn't paywalled.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 5:31 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

Back when this all first started, I followed it via this thread. Guys who lived in the area were getting pictures and reporting info not widely released. A lot of engineers and professionals were chiming in. Someone kept up an archive of the accumulated images as they scrambled to save the dam.
posted by Fukiyama at 6:15 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

This is the best FPP by a dam site.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:50 PM on April 13, 2019 [8 favorites]

This is the best FPP by a dam site.

BOOOOOOOOO

yay
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:10 PM on April 13, 2019 [7 favorites]

@ CrowGoat - I doubt the California Department of Water and Power needed permission to fly a drone over their project.
posted by rmmcclay at 7:20 PM on April 13, 2019 [6 favorites]

Interesting to see epoxy coated rebar being used in a strictly fresh water situation. There was at one time quite a bit of debate about the strength of the concrete-rebar bond if there was a layer of epoxy in the way. This was in a seacoast/islands area.
posted by rudd135 at 7:29 PM on April 13, 2019

Bring me a boogie board. And maybe a helmet.
posted by loquacious at 9:46 PM on April 13, 2019

@ CrowGoat - I doubt the California Department of Water and Power needed permission to fly a drone over their project.

Oh I bet they did.
posted by andrewpcone at 2:20 AM on April 14, 2019

It was designed to put that much energy into the river below? Shouldn't it be dissapated, with some turns?

Seems off, highly erosive, but then again, I'm from a place with no rocks.
posted by eustatic at 5:54 AM on April 14, 2019

There are concrete structures at the bottom of the spillway designed to dissipate the energy of the water. There is a pretty good practical engineering video that explains how these work.
posted by Bee'sWing at 6:07 AM on April 14, 2019 [7 favorites]

My first thought on looking at the new spillway: "Them walls look awful thin. They sure they engineered that right?"

The I read the article: "An analysis of the cause behind the [previous] main spillway’s failure pointed to a series of questionable decisions during construction, including relying on relatively thin layers of concrete..."

Uh... so... I guess they got that all figured out this time? Still looks awful thin, though.
posted by clawsoon at 8:18 AM on April 14, 2019

Bee'sWing: There are concrete structures at the bottom of the spillway designed to dissipate the energy of the water. There is a pretty good practical engineering video yt that explains how these work.

Just don't try to kayak down.
posted by clawsoon at 8:30 AM on April 14, 2019 [6 favorites]

Just don't try to kayak down.

What an excellent video!

Practical Engineering also has a video about the dangers of low dams or weirs, but it doesn't go into the detail yours does.
posted by Bee'sWing at 9:02 AM on April 14, 2019 [2 favorites]

And I've heard people describing engineering as the art of making things just strong enough to work and keeping costs down. I hope the 2017 incident put a big enough scare into them.
posted by Bee'sWing at 9:07 AM on April 14, 2019 [2 favorites]

Just don't try to kayak down.

Of course not. Don't be ridiculous.

This is a body board, not a kayak.
posted by loquacious at 9:52 PM on April 14, 2019

Cute family visit to the big splash. That thing makes its own weather.
posted by Bee'sWing at 4:20 PM on April 15, 2019