Oroville Dam

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February 13th, 2017 at 7:27:50 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18633
Quote: Fleastiff
The only truthful response is 'we hoped the reservoir would not fill as rapidly as it did'.


Everyone drink 8 glasses of water. Eh, for your health?
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
February 13th, 2017 at 8:25:33 PM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: rxwine
Everyone drink 8 glasses of water. Eh, for your health?


I remember when I was a kid, wondering why California needed all those dams and huge lakes. Then I flew with my dad over the farm country north of Sacramento. Rice paddies everywhere. Flooded. Sitting there in the 100-degree sun.

An unfortunate side effect of all this virtually free federally subsidized water is that Sacramento and San Joaquin valley farmers have never learned to conserve water. They use flood irrigation to grow crops that in places like Israel, are watered with carefully measured drip irrigation. And even with all that almost-free water, they've been drawing down the local aquifers to the point where wells have to be 150 feet deep or more.

But we won't need the water if we hunt down and kill all those Mexicans who have been helping to grow those fruit and vegetables. That's how Trump will help us with future droughts! No more Mexicans, no more food growing, no need for water!

Republicans are of two minds about the recent heavy rains in California. On the one hand, those rains have mostly been since Trump was elected, so they want to take credit for them. On the other hand, California voted for Clinton, so it deserves to be punished. Make America wet again? Well, maybe not California. Stinkin' liberal state!
February 13th, 2017 at 8:34:17 PM permalink
buzzardknot
Member since: Mar 16, 2015
Threads: 7
Posts: 497
Them damn farmers must have voted for Trump too.
February 13th, 2017 at 9:36:22 PM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: buzzardknot
Them damn farmers must have voted for Trump too.


Actually, most of them did. The ignorant parts of California are in its central valleys. Joe Sixpack put up all sorts of TRUMP signs during the election. I don't think Trump knows or cares about Western water policy, though. Those farmers were probably looking forward to legislation that would allow them to stop paying their Mexican workers and keep them as slaves. Stay right there and keep hoeing or we'll call the INS and have you deported. And don't tell me you have a green card--that's worthless now.
February 14th, 2017 at 6:13:43 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Its simple.

Everyone knew neither spillway could survive any significant amount of water cascading into it.

The physical risk of failure of structural integrity is born by the people in Northern California who live within 100 miles of the dam.

The cost of making the spilllways useable beyond those first few drops of water would have been born by people in Southern California, mainly Los Angeles County.

People in Southern California have money to make Northern Californians safe, but prefer to hire lobbyists, engineers, lawyers and speech writers so as to keep having to spend money to make Northern Californians safe.

Cue up: The Beattles: Life goes on.
Cue up: Judy Collins: And I think it going to rain today.

Fade to black.
February 14th, 2017 at 8:19:44 AM permalink
Ayecarumba
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744
Quote: Fleastiff
Its simple.

Everyone knew neither spillway could survive any significant amount of water cascading into it.

The physical risk of failure of structural integrity is born by the people in Northern California who live within 100 miles of the dam.

The cost of making the spilllways useable beyond those first few drops of water would have been born by people in Southern California, mainly Los Angeles County.

People in Southern California have money to make Northern Californians safe, but prefer to hire lobbyists, engineers, lawyers and speech writers so as to keep having to spend money to make Northern Californians safe.

Cue up: The Beattles: Life goes on.
Cue up: Judy Collins: And I think it going to rain today.

Fade to black.


This is the first time since the dam was constructed almost 50 years ago that the secondary spillway had to be used. It was estimated that it would cost ~$100 million in today's dollars to cover the secondary spillway area in a concrete skin to keep the soil, trees and rocks from ending up in the river, but no one wanted to pull the trigger. Now that the main spillway is damaged, and the secondary spillway is in need of repair, it is estimated that it will cost ~$200 million to restore them.

As long as no one gets killed and the town doesn't get wiped off the map, I think they may have made the right decision. It lasted almost 50 years...

On the other hand, heavy rain is forecast toward the middle of the week. It ain't over yet.
February 14th, 2017 at 9:04:30 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: Ayecarumba
It lasted almost 50 years... .
Nope. You don't start counting until the reservoir is full and if its a drought year you don't pat yourself on the back for having made the decision not to spend the money.
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