Dams at Risk: 65-Foot Crack in Washington State Dam

A large crack has been found in the Wanapum Dam on the Columbia River which supports the utility power supply to a major cluster of data centers in central Washington state.

 

65-Foot Crack Found in Washington State Dam (Feb 25)

The 2-inch-wide crack was found Thursday after divers were sent into the Columbia River because engineers detected a misalignment in a spillway on Wanapum Dam near the central Washington town of Vantage, said Tom Stredwick, a spokesman for the Grant County Public Utility District.

The Wanapum Dam generates more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity for the Grant County PUD, the utility that provides electricity to major data centers operated by Microsoft, Yahoo, Dell, Sabey Data Centers and Vantage Data Centers.

On February 25, dam officials noticed an irregular bowing of the dam near a section of a spillgate pier along the mile-long structure. Divers examined the area Thursday and discovered a two-inch wide crack running horizontally, located about 75 feet below the water’s surface. It runs the entire width of the 65-foot-wide pier.

The risk of a failure of the dam is high enough that the county has initiated an emergency plan. To relieve pressure on the dam, the water level is being lowered by 20 feet.

Source

 

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Owen Falls Dam in Uganda Falling Apart (Feb 28)
The Owen Falls dam in Jinja could cave in, if the cracks and damage to the dam are not repaired, an official of Eskom, the hydro power generation company, has said.

Huge cracks continue to develop in the walls and supporting pillars of the dam. Water continuously sips through the gaping holes, expanding the cracks and making the dam weaker by the day.

Source

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Lake Manatee Dam at Risk of Collapse (Feb 14)

The Lake Manatee Dam in Bradeton, Florida is in a "severely distressed state" because of erosion, engineering consultants have found, forcing county officials to take corrective actions.

Heavy rains over four or five days could compromise the Lake Manatee Dam, Manatee County government warned in a news release February 14.

As a precaution, workers have begun to lower the water level of the lake.

Engineers and officials are concerned that the dam's clay core may have been compromised.

Source

 

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Water Gushes over Crumbling Dam in Zimbabwe (Feb 9)

A dam on the Tokwe river in the Masvingo area of Zimbabwe is close to bursting as water from heavy rains finding its way through gaps in the uncompleted dam wall.

Construction of the Tokwe Mukorsi dam began in 1998 but stalled in 2008. The dam was due to be completed at the end of last year but the deadline has passed with construction still not finished. Pictures from the area show water gushing through breaks in the wall and a huge build up of water in the reservoir behind it. Villagers have been evacuated as quickly as possible, with around 4,000 people believed to be at risk should the dam burst.

According to the Daily News, the Zimbabwe Air Force is helping people evacuate. The Minister for Masvingo province is quoted as saying that the government is on high alert and "A helicopter from the AFZ has been airlifting some families who were marooned by the floods but we are not yet sure how many people are still marooned."

Source

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"All dams will break either during the pole shift or in the months leading up to the hour of the shift. Look at the structure of the dam! It assumes that rock holding both sides of the dam will remain in place and not move. Of course these sides will move. This is a subduction zone! There is mountain building and even where the mountains are not being pushed upward, they are moving from side to side. Some parts are more fluid than others, which are more resistant during any earthquake thrust, so there IS inevitably movement to the side. They will pull apart, slide forward or backwards, but in any case the water will find its way around the dam." 

ZetaTalk Chat Q&A: July 18, 2009

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Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 25, 2019 at 6:25pm

https://dentondaily.com/whaley-bridge-police-evacuate-up-to-6500-pe...

Whaley Bridge: Police evacuate up to 6,500 people as dam looks set ...

Facing the deluge: Peak District town could be wiped off the map as police order 6,500 inhabitants to flee before collapse of crumbling dam holding back 300million gallons of water

November 25 2019

A Peak District market town could be wiped off the map as police order 6,500 inhabitants to flee before the collapse of crumbling dam holding back 300 million gallons of water takes over the area. 

Emergency service workers in Derbyshire have been scrambling this evening to save the dam which is set to burst any minute.

Teams were seen laying sandbags at the dam in order to prevent the water breaking through and wiping out the Derbyshire town.  

Officers went door-to-door around homes in the Derbyshire village, as residents fled the area in case the 1.3million tonnes of water contained in the huge Georgian-era Toddbrook Reservoir starts to escape.

A wall around the reservoir has been damaged and a huge hole appeared in it, as deluged communities across the North of England faced yet more flooding today with another fortnight‘s worth of rain set to fall in three hours. 

Evacuees were told to gather at a school three miles away in Chapel-en-le-Frith or head further afield to stay with family or friends following fears over the reservoir, which was built in 1831 and drains a 43-acre catchment area.

Police urged residents to ensure they took any pets and medication ‘for a number of days‘, and asked people to ‘make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family‘.

The force said the evacuation was ‘not a decision that has been taken lightly‘, adding: ‘We appreciate that there is significant impact on this community, however, this is an unprecedented, fast-moving, emergency situation.‘ 

Just before midnight last night Derbyshire Police said they had put in place an action plan, which included usinh water pumps to remove water from the reservoir to relieve pressure on the dam wall. 

Residents in the area have said they ‘have never seen anything like it‘, despite living in the area all of their lives, one local also added that it was the worst flood in the village in living memory.

Last night emergency services in the area walked across a bridge and were seen laying sandbags infront on the direction of the flowing water in order to stop it getting past

The scene at the Toddbrook Reservoir dam above the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire where flooding has burst the dam

Police told the town‘s 6,500 residents to gather at a local school yesterday following the damage to the dam in Derbyshire

People gathered to watch the flood waters nesar the dam despite police having urged residents to evacuate last night

Damage caused to Toddbrook Reservoir, pictured yesterday, which has led to the town of Whaley Bridge being evacuated

A whole host of emergency services were pictured last night  as they tried to battle the damage and keep residents safe from harm

This graphic shows where the town of Whaley Bridge is in relation to the reservoir and the dam wall which has a hole in it. It also shows the flow of the water 

An aerial shot of the village shows which areas would be hit if the dam was to burst, as police advise residents to gather their things 

People look at the reservoir in Derbyshire yesterday as deluged communities across the North of England face yet more flooding 

The image above shows one man climbing underneath the bridge and investigating the structure of it as other emergency workers are seen in the river

The rest of the action plan was for 400 tonnes of aggregate to divert water from entering the reservoir and into other surrounding watercourses designed for this purpose. Police said once those measures reduce the water to a level that is safe – work will then begin on the dam wall itself.

Last night Sarah Edgar, resident of Whaley Bridge since October 18, left with her husband, David and 10 year old son just before residents were evacuated. 

The family live around a quarter of a mile from the dam. She said: ‘We have been keeping an eye on it since yesterday. It was torrential rain. I checked Facebook and everyone was saying how bad it was. 

‘Our garden and the houses opposite have a brook separating them and that became a raging river, it‘s washed thins away in the neighbours garden. It used to be ten foot down from garden level and yesterday it was overflowing.

‘This morning we got up and when we heard about the damage to the dam we knew we were going to be evacuated so we left earlier because my son would be panicking. It was scary, neighbours who‘ve lived there for 15 years said they‘d never seen anything like it. 

‘We moved from Buxworth in October last year, we wish we‘d stayed there. I‘ve never known it to flow over like that. The police told us to take medication, animals and prepare for a few days away. My husband is a landscape gardener so he hasn‘t been able to work‘. This is while one owner of a nearby local pub told which has also been evacuated told of how she called her partner.

Speaking to the  Jennifer, owner of the Goyt Inn said: ‘Bring the dog. We have to get out.

‘The dam is a mess. It really looks very unsafe and there‘s a lot of water in that reservoir.‘ 

Officers said people with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but ‘there is limited capacity to do so‘. They added: ‘If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please 101 and ask for the police.‘

Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday near the village of Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall

The close proximity of homes to the Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire can be seen in this photograph taken yesterday

As the evening went on, emergency services continued to battle to repair the damage done and were seen in a red rescue boat

Yesterday evening firefighters pumped tonnes of water from Toddbrook Reservoir following significant rainfall resulting in it overflowing, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said with a danger to life warning being issued.

It said: ‘At least 10 High Volume Pumps and a number of firefighters from across the country have already been deployed to assist as part of the National Fire Chiefs Council‘s National Resilience response. In addition, a number of specialised members of staff including tactical advisers are at the scene. More assets could be deployed as the situation unfolds.

‘Levels in Derbyshire‘s River Goyt could rise rapidly due to water coming from the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir, which contains 1.3 million tonnes of water and the dam holding it back contains 300 million gallons of water. There are concerns the reservoir walls could collapse, flooding nearby homes. A wall around Toddbrook Reservoir is already showing extensive damage.‘

Network Rail confirmed Northern trains between Hazel Grove and Buxton stopped in both directions and will only run again when emergency services confirm it is safe for them to do so.

The letter given to residents in the area explaining that they are at risk from the nearby reservoir and that they need to evacuate

Yesterday afternoon a team of men could be seen observing the damage in the area after it was damaged after rainfall in Derbyshire

What is the Toddbrook Reservoir Dam?

As the town of Whaley Bridge continues to be evacuated this evening, we take a look into the Toddbrook Reservoir.

The dam, which is set to burst any minute overlooks a small town called Whaley Bridge which is on the River Goyt.

The River Goyt connects both Cheshire and Derbyshire and is around 16 miles southeast of Manchester.

The reservoir is well known in many rambling circles and has also previously been used for sailing and angling.

It was built in 1831 as an artificial waterway in the north of England – as a feeder for the Peak Forest Canal. It is a protected area as it sits in the ‘Special Scientific Interest Group‘.

Toddbrook runs through both counties and flows northwards through east Cheshire before turning to fill the Toddbrook reservoir.

Water enters the reservoir on the north bank through a small waterfall. In summer months the reservoir often receives little inflow during periods of light rainfall.

 

Residents in the area had been given an ‘Appendix B – Evacuation Card‘ which explained the major incident in the area.

It read: ‘There is a concern that you and your property are at risk from Toddbrook Reservoir, EVACUATE YOUR PROPERTY NOW.‘

It then goes on to give a list of instruction of what people in the area need to do, however the paper was dated April 2018. 

Residents have now become overwhelmed with the situation, with some worried that they won‘t be able to get out.

Retired reporter Steve Cliffe, 66, said neighbours in the hamlet of Fernilee were flooded and cut off.

‘The problem is we just can‘t get out,‘ he said.

‘Fernilee is about 1.5 miles outside Whaley Bridge, up the hill. What seems to have happened is that during the real cloud bust, water has come down the main road up above us, and has been siphoned down this lane.

‘It‘s never had that quantity come down it before.  

‘It has ripped up the road surface and bedrock underneath, and now there‘s rocks and debris deposited all over the place.‘ 

But Andrew Mclackland, 46, who has lived in Whaley Bridge for nine years, is among those refusing to leave. He told the Manchester Evening News: ‘Well, I think it‘s health and safety gone mad. It‘s a big fuss about nothing.‘

Anna Aspinall, 36, from Whaley Bridge, said she and others had been called to help place sandbags in the area around the dam, but were sent away after structural engineers advised ‘that the wall is at high risk of failing‘.

‘We have had significant rainfall over the past few days resulting in the overflow of the reservoir, which is very rarely breached, being completely flooded over,‘ she said.

Police went door to door in the area telling people to leave their homes and businesses and gather at a local school for evacuation. Pictured above the reservoir with properties infront

One emergency services worker was seen with his hands on his head after battling to repair the damage. A police van and JCB digger were also picture on the scene

‘The result is that the overflow this morning has undermining damage and there is a big risk of the village being flooded out. Residents are currently being evacuated along with businesses.

‘We are praying (the dam wall) holds whilst the Canal and River Trust try to drain the water from the reservoir. I live at the top of a hill but am very involved in community life, so want to help where I can.‘ 

Chapel-en-le-Frith High School was being hastily converted into a reception centre for hundreds of residents from Whaley Bridge and a command centre for the police operation as the mass evacuation got under way.

Squads of police officers arrived, with dozens of police Land Rovers and vans arriving and leaving the car park and officers checking equipment in the boots of their vehicles, as locals began to appear with suitcases heading for a sports centre hall where they will spend the night if friends or family cannot house them.

Paul Nash and Janet Williams, a couple from Whaley Bridge, had just arrived at the centre after being told to evacuate at around 1pm. 

Source: https:///daizylindsay/status/160064 

Source: https://www.youtube/watch?v=SsA2-YvxdWY  

Mr Nash said: ‘The River Goyt is actually behind us, normally it‘s 20ft down from our back garden but last night it raised up to nearly 3ft from coming over. 

‘We went to work as normal, then we found out we needed to evacuate so we‘ve been back home, got the cat, got what we needed to and that‘s as far as we know at the moment. Bit surprised to be honest, never thought it would happen. 

Footage taken from a Sky News helicopter showed the water (right) flowing though the village as boats can be seen piled up in one back garden last night

Workers in the area have been forced to use a JCB to attempt to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook

A resident of the village of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire is advised to evacuate his home yesterday afternoon

Workers including the fire service use a JCB digger today to attempted to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook which runs alongside the reservoir and past the over flow drain that is damaged

Evacuees leave Whaley Bridge yesterday afternoon after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir threatens to break in the severe weather

What have Derbyshire Police told residents?

Whaley Bridge is being evacuated due to the ongoing situation at Toddbrook Reservoir.

If you are being asked to leave your home then please attend Chapel High School, Long Lane, Chapel-en-le-Frith, High Peak, SK23 0TQ, where further direction will be given.

Police officers and staff will be at the school to provide further direction, though at this time we are not sure how long the evacuation will take.

Residents are asked to make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family, ensure that any pets are taken with them and that all medication that may be needed for a number of days is taken with them.

If people do not have somewhere to go then they will be accommodated, however, there is limited capacity to do so.

If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please 101 and ask for the police.

‘Not sure whether this dam is going to go or not, it‘s a bit concerning. At the moment there‘s no updates really, no-one knows anything, so we are in the dark really, we‘ve not been told we can go back.

‘If the whole dam goes, it‘s going to cause absolute chaos. Probably the village will go, because it goes straight through. The River Goyt goes straight through the village centre.

‘They‘ve not said when we can go back, we have got to stay away. Everything is in the house we‘ve worked for, worked hard for, some things can‘t ever be replaced.

‘Obviously the experts are telling us it might go, there‘s still a chance it might not. No-one knows when we can go back.

‘We‘ve come down here to check in because they‘ve told us if we check in, there‘s no chance of them coming to knock the door down to check we are not still there.‘

Derbyshire Police yesterday said it was unclear how long the evacuation of Whaley Bridge would last. The force tweeted: ‘Please make alternate arrangements to stay with friends/family, ensure that pets and medication that may be needed for a number of days are taken. 

‘If people do not have somewhere to go then they will be accommodated, however there is limited capacity to do so. If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance, please 101 and ask for the police.‘

Workers use a JCB digger in their efforts to protect Whaley Bridge which has been evacuated yesterday afternoon

Emergency services in the village of Whaley Bridge yesterday after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged

The Environment Agency yesterday issued a severe flood warning, suggesting a danger to life, covering the River Goyt at Whaley Bridge. It states that the river could ‘rise rapidly‘ due to water rushing in from the reservoir.  

As a helicopter hovered above the village, police were going door to door in Whaley Bridge to get everyone out. Going the other way were teams of council workers and mountain rescue vehicles heading into the village.

Dragging a suitcase up the deserted high street, local David Holt said: ‘Police are knocking on, evacuating everyone within risk of that dam wall breaking. If it‘s going to go, it‘s going to go straight through the village. 

‘Police are asking you to gather some belongings, leave your house in a secure condition and go to a local school. We‘ve taken an elderly neighbour to a friend‘s house and are heading to the school now.‘

Author Hanna Sillitoe lives in Buxworth, downstream from Whaley Bridge, in a hamlet called Waterside. She has not been evacuated yet. She said: ‘The river had massively come up yesterday, almost to the house. 

Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir near the village of Whaley Bridge today as the area was evacuated by police yesterday 

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had a ‘large number ‘ of vehicles at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday

Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday near the village of Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall

The Toddbrook Reservoir dam, above Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, was damaged following heavy rains in the areayesterday

story continues.....

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 24, 2019 at 3:14am

https://www.socialnews.xyz/2019/11/21/srisilam-dam-under-threat-whi...

Srisilam dam under threat while Nagarjunasagar to collapse soon – Rajendra Singh – TV9 (Video)

Srisilam dam under threat while Nagarjunasagar to collapse soon – Rajendra Singh – TV9 (Video)

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 24, 2019 at 2:48am

https://www.redding.com/story/news/2019/11/22/shasta-county-dam-ext...

100-year-old Shasta County dam creating conditions of 'extreme peril'

Published 8:00 a.m. PT Nov. 22, 2019

Rainbow Lake in western Shasta County covers 113 acres. (Photo: Google image)


With winter rains on their way, officials worry a dam that creates a small lake 17 miles west of Redding could collapse, inundating downstream homes with up to 20 feet of water if sediment and debris clogging two outlet pipes is not cleared.

Two 30-inch outlet pipes at Misselbeck Dam have been clogged with silt and debris since last summer, forcing water from Rainbow Lake to flow over the top of a deteriorated 100-year-old spillway, said Charles Tucker, president of the Igo-Ono Community Services District, which owns the dam.

Currently there is no imminent danger from water flowing over the spillway, he said. But with rains due next week and winter approaching, the situation could deteriorate, and possibly lead to the collapse of the dam, district officials said.

"We're waiting for help from folks who should be helping us and we're rather disappointed so far," Tucker said. "We're in a pretty ticklish situation. We need some big boy help."

The district has sought help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Office of Emergency Services, but they have been slow to react, he said.

Noting "conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property," the Shasta County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency in July and renewed that emergency Nov. 5.

"The damage from a dam breach when Cottonwood Creek is already at flood stage is exponentially greater, likely reaching many structures in the Cottonwood area," according to a letter the district sent to the supervisors.

The outlet pipes became plugged after tons of sediment from hillsides surrounding the 113-acre lake were washed into the reservoir last winter and spring during storms.

California spillways: State Supreme Court weighs in on Shasta Dam case

The 2018 Carr Fire left a burn scar covering 90% of the 12-square-mile watershed above the lake, according to a letter the district sent to the supervisors last summer.

Without vegetation to hold soil in place above the lake, the rains washed tons of sediment, and other debris washed into the lake, burying the pipes in about 20 feet of soil, much of it decomposed granite, Tucker said.

The district cannot afford the $1.7 million to $2.1 million to clear sediment from the lake so water can again flow through the outlet pipes. District officials have asked for help from FEMA and Cal OES.

But funding from FEMA is in question because the agency told the district the problem is not related to the Carr Fire, he said.

With the outlets plugged, the lake level can't be lowered, forcing water over the spillway, according to the district letter. The California Division of Safety of Dams has determined the spillway is unsafe to use.

There are holes completely through the spillway floor and water is scouring away the decomposed bedrock supporting the spillway. Winter rains could completely destroy the spillway, the district said.

“Failure of the dam or spillway would endanger lives and property between the dam and Cottonwood.”

Igo-Ono Community Services District

Floating debris is also building up along the spillway, raising the level of the lake. If that continues, water could begin to flow over the top of the dam, which could lead to "total failure of the structure," the district said.

The letter says the Office of Water Safety at Sacramento State University estimates that if water overtops the dam, the structure "would be destroyed for its entire height and nearly its entire width in a period of 6 minutes."

"Failure of the dam or spillway would endanger lives and property between the dam and Cottonwood," the district said.

Several structures on Sunny Hill Road downstream of the dam would be inundated with 20 feet of water within 15 minutes of dam breach and multiple structures on Gas Point Road would be under 10 feet of water, the district said.

Structures near the main stem of Cottonwood Creek and structures on Ponder Way and Denise Way would also see water up to 5 feet deep, the district said.

"The worst-case scenario is the dam breach occurring when Cottonwood Creek is already at flood stage, which is the more likely scenario given the current outlet works condition," the district said.

County Public Works Director Pat Minturn said his office was aware of the problems at the dam and his office had determined that bridges downstream of the dam are tall enough that they could withstand the water flow if the dam broke.

It wasn't clear if residents and property owners living downstream of the dam had been notified about the issues at the dam. Officials at the sheriff's office could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 21, 2019 at 12:44am

https://valliantnews.com/2019/11/19/tens-of-thousands-being-evacuat...

Tens of thousands being evacuated as dam fails, revealing scope of ...

Puerto Rican officials rushed to evacuate tens of thousands of people downstream of a failing dam and said they could not reach more than half the towns in the U.S. territory as the massive scale of the disaster wrought by Hurricane Maria started to become clear on Friday.

Government spokesman Carlos Bermudez said that officials had no communication with 40 of the 78 municipalities on the island more than two days after the Category 4 storm crossed the island, toppling power lines and cellphone towers and sending floodwaters cascading through city streets.

Officials said 1,360 of the island‘s 1,600 cellphone towers had been downed, and 85 percent of above-ground and underground phone and internet cables were knocked out. With roads blocked and phones dead, officials said, the situation may be worse than they know.

"We haven‘t seen the extent of the damage," Gov. Ricardo Rossello told reporters in the capital.

More than 15 inches of rain fell on the mountains surrounding the Guajataca Dam in northwest Puerto Rico after Maria left the island Wednesday afternoon, swelling the reservoir behind the nearly 90-year-old dam.

Authorities launched an evacuation of the 70,000 people living downstream, sending buses to move people away and sending frantic warnings on Twitter that went unseen by many in the blacked-out coastal area.

"This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION," the National Weather Service wrote. "All the areas around the Guajataca River must evacuate NOW. Your lives are in DANGER."

The 345-yard dam, which was built around 1928, holds back a manmade lake covering about 2 square miles.

An engineer inspecting the dam reported a "contained breach" that officials quickly realized was a crack that could be the first sign of total failure of the dam, said Anthony Reynes, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service.

"There‘s no clue as to how long or how this can evolve. That is why the authorities are moving so fast because they also have the challenges of all the debris. It is a really, really dire situation," Reynes said. "They are trying to mobilize all the resources they can but it‘s not easy. We really don‘t know how long it would take for this failure to become a full break of the dam."

Maj. Gen. Derek P. Rydholm, deputy to the chief of the Air Force Reserve, said at the Pentagon that it was impossible to say when communication and power will be restored. He said mobile communications systems are being flown in. But he acknowledged "it‘s going to take a while" before people in Puerto Rico will be able to communicate with their families outside the island.

Until Friday, he said, "there was no real understanding at all of the gravity of the situation."

Across the island more than 15,000 people are in shelters, including some 2,000 rescued from the north coastal town of Toa Baja, including several who were stranded on roofs.

Rossello couldn‘t say when power might be restored.

The island‘s electric grid was in sorry shape long before Maria struck. The territory‘s $73 billion debt crisis has left agencies like the state power company broke. It abandoned most basic maintenance in recent years, leaving the island subject to regular blackouts.

"Some transmission structures collapsed," Rossello said, adding that there was no severe damage to electric plants.

He said he was distributing 250 satellite phones from FEMA to mayors across the island to re-establish .

Secretary of State Luis Marin said he expects gasoline supplies to be at 80 percent of capacity because the port in the southeastern town of Yabucoa that receives fuel shipments received minor damage.

Hourslong lines formed at the few gas stations that reopened on Friday and anxious residents feared power could be out for weeks — or even months — and wondered how they would cope.

Some of the island‘s 3.4 million people planned to head to the U.S. to temporarily escape the devastation. At least in the short term, though, the soggy misery will continue: Additional rain — up to 6 inches — is expected through Saturday.

In San Juan, Neida Febus wandered around her neighborhood with bowls of cooked rice, ground meat and avocado, offering food to the hungry. The damage was so extensive, the 64-year-old retiree said, that she didn‘t think the power would be turned back on until Christmas.

"This storm crushed us from one end of the island to the other," she said.

The death toll in Puerto Rico stood at six but was likely to rise.

At least 27 lives in all have been lost around the Caribbean, including at least 15 on hard-hit Dominica. Haiti reported three deaths; Guadeloupe, two; and the Dominican Republic, one.

By Friday night, Maria was passing about 295 miles east of the central Bahamas with top sustained winds of 125 mph. The storm is not expected to pose a threat to the U.S. mainland.

Israel Molina, 68, found that Maria had ripped away roofing from his Israel Mini Market in San Juan.

"I‘m from here. I believe we have to step up to the task. If everyone leaves, what are we going to do? With all the pros and the cons, I will stay here," he said, and then paused. "I might have a different response tomorrow."

Diana Jaquez, one of the owners of the Coquette hair salon in San Juan‘s Santurce area, assessed storm damage with her husband Friday as their children played nearby. She said she hadn‘t decided whether to leave the island.

"Business has dropped a lot," she said. "People have other priorities than looking good."

Outside her store, more than 100 people stood in line waiting to get money out of an ATM machine and hoping there would still be some cash left when their turn came.

New York plans to send about 240 National Guardsmen and state troopers to assist Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The state is also sending drinking water, ready-to-eat meals, electrical generators and other supplies.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 8, 2019 at 6:41pm

https://ktla.com/2019/11/06/extreme-storm-could-overwhelm-high-dese...

Extreme Storm Could Overwhelm High Desert Dam, Flood Thousands in Inland Empire

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on October 19, 2019 at 6:37pm

https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/10/19/15-dead-after-russian-dam-c...

15 dead after Russian dam collapse floods dormitories

by The Associated Press

Posted Oct 19, 2019 1:53 am PDT

MOSCOW — Russian emergency officials say at least 15 people are dead after a dam at a Siberian gold mine collapsed and water flooded two workers’ dormitories.

The Emergencies Ministry also said 13 people were unaccounted-for, Russian news agencies reported.

The collapse during heavy rain occurred early Saturday near the village of Shchetinkino, in the Krasnoyarsk region about 3,400 kilometres (2,100 miles) east of Moscow.

The country’s Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal investigation on possible charges of violation of workplace safety regulations.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 6, 2019 at 5:58am

https://solihullobserver.co.uk/news/residents-fear-dams-collapse-at...

Residents fear dam's collapse at Earlswood Lakes

Sept 4 2019


RESIDENTS near Earlswood Lakes in Solihull have called for assurances amid fears of floods and dam deterioration.

Mark Franks – who lives in Malthouse Lane – spoke to us in the wake of the Whaley Bridge dam scare in Derby.

He said he was concerned that poor maintenance could lead to a breach at the causeway separating the lakes from homes below.

We have heard from worried residents who allege that Malthouse Lane – above the causeway and between the two lakes – is being used by heavy vehicles, and is often congested, despite a 2.5-ton weight restriction being in place.

Mr Franks along with other residents have called for the road across the top of the dam to be closed.

They say this will mitigate any further erosion – after landslips at two large sections of the dam last May.

But authorities have been unequivocal in ruling out safety concerns, saying that regular inspections are carried out.

The Canal and River Trust is ultimately responsible for maintaining the lakes, while the Environment Agency is the enforcement body.

Mr Franks said: “The dam is the same design as that at Whaley Bridge, a puddle clay core dam, but is almost 20 years older.

“My concern is that the Canal and River Trust is neglecting the maintenance of the dam, along with ignoring calls of concern from local residents that use of the road across the top of the dam is leading to increased erosion of the substructure.

“There is a signed weight limit of 2.5 tons, however vehicles far heavier than that regularly use the dam roadway.

“Earlier this year, the trust drilled bore holes to monitor the movement of the dam.

“Thus proving to residents that the dam is indeed suffering from erosion, wear and tear, and movement.

“There are a number of residents living directly under the glare of the 200-year-old dam.

“They would be in the direct path of flood water released from the dam.”

Mr Franks told us the May landslips led to Malthouse Lane being closed for months.

Regional director at the trust Adnan Saif: “I’d like to assure residents that there are regular inspections and maintenance at Earlswood Reservoir.

“In England, maintenance of reservoirs is highly regulated with all identified works having to be undertaken by law.

“The trust’s specialists are carrying out investigations as part of that stringent inspection and maintenance regime.

“I can assure residents that there aren’t any concerns about the weight of vehicles using the road.”

Malthouse Lane resident Jenni Oates said: “Last year there was a big landslip and it was just absolute chaos.

“For hours on end there were no authorities who came out to sort it out and it was down to residents to divert the traffic.

“It was extremely dangerous and it was very lucky that nobody got hurt or killed when it collapsed.

“I am deeply concerned the road remains open. Every single day there are loads of overweight vehicles and cars going over it – even lorries.”

An anonymous resident told us: “I have passed photographs on to the residents’ association and the police showing overweight vehicles using the road – and I really feel the road should be shut.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Reservoirs in England have an excellent safety record.

“There is a robust regulatory regime in place, requiring reservoir owners to carry out regular inspections, backed up by independent inspections.

“We will take action to make a reservoir safe if we believe it poses a danger to the public.”

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 21, 2019 at 12:45am

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-08-20-four-texas-lakes-on-guadal...

Four Texas Lakes to Be Drained Because Risk of Dam Spillways Failing Is So High

August 20 2019

At a Glance

  • Spillway gates on the man-made lakes are 90 years old and beyond repair.
  • Floodgates on two other lakes have already failed.
  • The water authority said it would cost $179 million to fix all the dams.

Four lakes along the Guadalupe River in Texas will be drained by the end of September after water officials decided spillway gates at the lakes are too dangerous to maintain.

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority made the decision in response to the May 14 collapse of a 90-year-old spillway on the dam at Lake Dunlap.

Video from a security camera showed an 85-foot-long, 12-foot-tall spillway gate bursting from the dam on the lake near New Braunfels, Texas. Water dumped into the Guadalupe River at 11,000 cubic feet per second, Texas Public Radio station KSTX reported.

No one was hurt in the Lake Dunlap collapse. It was the second spill gate to fail since 2016, when Lake Wood drained after its gates failed.

The six dams were built between 1927 and 1932 for hydroelectric power generation, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The river authority bought the dams from private owners in 1963 and has spent $25 million on repairs and maintenance.

The cost to replace the spillway gates is estimated to cost $179 million, and the work would take several years.

For now, the river authority has decided the aging dams pose too much of a risk for the people who use the lakes for water-skiing, wakeboarding and fishing.

"Safety is our top priority. We understand this is an unpopular decision, but one that we feel is unavoidable given the dangers associated with these dams," GBRA General Manager and CEO Kevin Patteson told the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. "GBRA is committed to working closely with the lake associations and the community to mitigate the impact of this difficult but necessary decision."

The lakes will be emptied beginning on Sept. 16 at Lake Gonzales, the southernmost lake. The work will then move upstream to Meadow Lake, Lake Placid and Lake McQueeney, according to the GBRA. The drawdown is expected to take three days per lake and should be done by the end of September.

People who live along the lakes aren't happy.

"We're victims of maybe decades of mismanagement," Les Shook, who has lived on Lake McQueeney for three years, told the Herald-Zeitung. "There is just something wrong here. The biggest problem is that if they drain this lake, my house is going to decrease in value by 50%. There's a lot of valuable property on this lake."

"Ensuring the long-term sustainability of the dams is a community endeavor," the authority said in a news release. "GBRA is working in partnership with the Guadalupe Valley Lakes lake associations and affected residents, as well as city and county officials, to determine the best course of action for identifying, funding and completing the necessary replacement of the dams."

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 21, 2019 at 12:39am

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/naggal-dam-gives-way-t...

Aug 19, 2019, 10:23 AM (IST)

Naggal dam gives way, triggers flash floods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWjJGxYrc4M

15 head of cattle, six houses, four bridges washed away in Mohali villages 

    

Mohali, August 18

At least 15 head of cattle, six houses and four bridges were washed away in flash floods that hit several villages, including Chhoti Naggal, Badi Naggal, Parol and Mirzapur, and nearby areas following a major breach in the Naggal earthen dam here this morning.

Most of the residents of Chhoti Naggal, Badi Naggal and Mirzapur villages suffered losses worth several lakhs. These three villages have also been cut off following collapse of bridges connecting these to other parts of the district. Roads in the area were damaged due to flash flood fury. However, no loss of life was reported from the area.

Bhag Chand, a former panch of Chhoti Naggal and Badi Naggal villages, located 3 km away from the dam, said around 5-metre high “wall of water” came all of a sudden from the dam side and hit the area around 8 am.

“As our village is located on the foothills, the speed of water was fast. Within minutes, it flattened everything that came in its way. Around 15 head of cattle of two families and two tractors were washed away in the flash floods,” said Bhag Chand.

The houses that were located close to the hillock, where the dam is located, were the worst affected, he said.

Surinder Singh and Achchar Singh, residents of Chhoti Naggal, not only lost their houses but also eight buffaloes each in the flash floods.

During a visit to the spot, The Tribune team found that a portion of Surinder Singh’s house, where he used to tie up his cattle, was washed away. The remaining part of the house was also damaged and he had to shift his family to another house.

The story of another resident Achchar Singh was no different as he also lost his animals, house and a tractor in the flash floods. The fields, in which the corn crop was almost ready, were also badly damaged. Crops in the fields were flattened.

“I am clueless about what to do. Mainly, I sell milk to earn a livelihood. Today, I lost all my cattle,” said Achchar Singh with tears in his eyes. He said the impact of the water was so strong that his tractor, which was washed  away in the floods, was found around 100 metres away from his house. Residents said the water also washed away parts of some other houses in Badi Naggal village. Several structures, constructed in fields, were also washed away in the flash floods, they said.

According to Paras, a resident of Mirzapur village, several houses in the village were submerged in 5 ft water.

“Goods, furniture and other household items were damaged in our village, which has also been cut off due to damage to its approach road,” said Paras.

Similarly, Labh Singh, a resident of Parol village, said several houses in their village were under nearly 3-foot-deep water.

“The water came from the Naggal dam in the morning. Some parts of our house also got damaged in the flash floods,” said Labh Singh.

40-foot-long breach in dam

During a visit to the dam site, The Tribune team found a 40-foot-long breach in the earthen dam, which was constructed around eight years ago by the Soil Conversation Department, Punjab. According to officials of the department, who were present there, the dam reservoir, which is spread over several hectares, was full of water on Sunday morning.

“The reservoir is spread over several hectares and the water level was nearly 17 metre high,” claimed the officials of the department.

When The Tribune team reached there, the reservoir was completely empty.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan, who visited the area, said due to collapse of bridges, some villages, including Chhoti Naggal, Badi Naggal and Mirzapur, had been cut off from the district.

“Officials have been deputed in all such areas to extend a helping hand to the residents. Our priorities are to prevent injury and loss of human life, save livestock and evacuate people if there’s any potential danger,” said Dayalan.

The DC said he had ordered to keep tents/boats and other such paraphernalia ready in case of any emergency.

“Ensure that food and drinking water are available in the areas that have been cut off. Dry rations may be given and help of gurdwaras may be taken to get cooked meals,” said Dayalan.

                                

    

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 10, 2019 at 4:36am

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/dam-break-in-northeast-laos-0...

Dam Break in Northeast Laos Causes Heavy Losses For Locals, Builder

2019-08-08

Heavy monsoonal rains in northeastern Laos ripped through a small one-megawatt hydropower dam in Xieng Khouang province’s Pek district earlier this week, causing extensive damage and flooding rice fields and property, local residents said Wednesday.

“Because of heavy rainfall and too much water, the dam couldn’t handle it, so it burst causing great losses and flooding 30 hectares (74 acres) of rice field and fish ponds,” said a villager who lives near the dam site.

Nearby Lad Boak village was completed flooded by the breach which occurred on Aug. 4, a second area resident said.

“This village has suffered a great loss,” said the man who declined to be named. “My parents’ two houses are badly damaged. Twenty-four families are the most affected. Ten other homes and 30 hectares of rice fields are also flooded.”

A third local, who is a tour operator, told RFA’s Lao Service that the Keng Khoune Dam broke when rising water levels pushed up against its walls and tore through both its sides, releasing torrents downstream.

The dam sits on an extension of the Nam Gneun River, a tributary of the Mekong River.

It was not immediately clear if the dam breach caused any loss of life.

State television in Xieng Khouang province aired a video of the dam break during which a reporter said that heavy and continuous rainfall over the past few days had eroded the structure's walls, causing them to give way.

The structure itself as well as its powerhouse and related heavy equipment have been badly damaged, with some components washed away and covered by mud, the reporter said.

Authorities are now assessing the amount of damage to the property of villagers who live just downstream of the dam. An initial estimate of the damage to the dam itself is between U.S. $400,000 and U.S. $470,000, he said.

In the video, the vice president of the Somphou Bridge and Road Construction Company, the dam's builder, denied that a breach had occurred and said that only her firm had suffered losses from the flooding.

“This was not a dam break; it was only water coming down so fast at once that the dam couldn’t release water fast enough,” she said. “But there has been no impact on or damages for people upstream or downstream. However, our loss is about U.S. $400,000.”

The executive, who was not identified in the report, said that rapidly rising water levels on the morning of Aug. 4 caused the None Reservoir to overflow.

During the breach, the dam stopped generating power for a while, then resumed, she said.

“Bad problems’ downstream

But Premrudee Daoruang, coordinator of Laos Dam Investment Monitor, a network of activists focused on hydropower dams, questioned the company’s damage claim.

“In the beginning, the owner of the dam claimed that the destruction [involved] only the dam and not others,” she wrote in an email to RFA. “Later on, it was clear that there had been some impact to the agricultural land (and maybe other things) that belong to the people in the area.”

“The one-megawatt dam seems to have certainly caused bad problems for people downstream, but I don’t know to what extent,” she wrote.

An official form Xieng Khouang province’s Energy and Mines Department, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak with the media, told RFA that the dam was not made of concrete.

“It’s made of soil mixed with sand, not concrete,” he said. “It’s easily and quickly eroded by rain. That’s why it is damaged.”

A Pek district official told RFA that provincial authorities have inspected the site and given some advice to the company about what to do.

"[The] company is repairing the water channel and has cleaned up the electrical components because they were submerged,” he said. “Some Chinese experts also are helping with the computer system of the powerhouse.”

The Keng Khouane Dam has been operational since 2016, selling electricity to Lao’s state-owned power operator Électricité du Laos.

Laos has built hundreds of small and large dams along the Mekong River and its tributaries in its quest to become “the battery of Southeast Asia,” exporting the electricity they generate to other countries in the region.

Though the Lao government sees power generation as a way to boost the country’s economy, the projects are controversial because of their environmental impact, displacement of villagers, and questionable financial arrangements.

A dam collapse at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in southwestern Laos’ Champassak province following heavy rains in July 2018 triggered devastating floods that left 71 people dead and more than 10,000 homeless.

and another:

http://sggpnews.org.vn/nature/weather/5000-people-evacuated-at-risk...

5,000 people evacuated at risk of Dak Kar hydropower dam collapse

Friday, August 09, 2019 13:17
The functional agencies urgently evacuated around 5,000 people near the downstream areas of Dak Kar hydropower dam in order to minimize relentless damages at imminent risk of the hydropower dam collapse.

Deputy Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dak R’Lap District under Dak Nong province reported that water level at the Dak Kar hydropower reservoir this morning dropped down 2.5 meters compared to subsurface dam due to low rainfall.

Dak Kar is a large hydropower plant adjacent to Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc provinces. If the hydropower dam is collapsed, its consequences will seriously affect to thousands of downstream households in Binh Phuoc province.

Amid the risk, the engineers have been watching over the reservoir safety hour by hour, the rescuers are ready to use all ways and equipment to deal with incidents in case of hydropower dam collapse.

There are four communes of Dong Nai, Phu Son, Phuoc Son and Ha Dang in Binh Phuoc province located in the downstream area of Dak Kar hydropower dam.

Currently, around 5,000 people near the downstream area of Dak Kar hydropower dam are displaced to safer areas.

The People’s Committee of Dak Nong province reported that the Dak Kar hydropower system with a designed capacity of 13 million meters cubic is under construction; however, its discharge valves are at fault, causing a rise of the water level.

Additionally, excessive rainfall triggered serious landslide at the foot of the Dak Kar hydropower dam, threatening to life of thousands of households in Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong downstream places.

Earlier, the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control released an urgent telegraph to cope with incidents at the Dak Kar hydropower dam, asking the local government to quickly evacuate residents out of the dangerous areas.

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