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View Full Version : Ralston Dam had a gate break!



HCS
08-05-2004, 07:57 AM
Middle fork of the American river above Auburn California.
There's a 3 foot wall of water headed towards Folsom lake.

rrrr
08-05-2004, 08:18 AM
Well, that'll help the water level problem. :eek!: :D

HCS
08-05-2004, 08:31 AM
It ought to help fill up Folsom lake! Maybe boating will be good this weekend
around these parts.
:rolleyes:

MRS FLYIN VEE
08-05-2004, 08:38 AM
don't they or shouldn't they have a back up gate.. seems pretty dangerous to me without a back up gate.. :eek!: ;)

HCS
08-05-2004, 08:51 AM
Tree fell on the Dam. It's a 200ft-er.

gnarley
08-05-2004, 08:53 AM
Most people don't even know where Ralston Dam is. For those that don't, if memory serves me correctly it would be near Placerville, CA at Oxbow Reservior. I don't remember the size of the lake but wouldn't think it will be very devistating. If ANYONE is in the American river canyon and fishing, camping near the bank or rafting they could be in danger, though. I doubt it has much affect on the Folsom water levels though.
Thanks for the FYI.

HCS
08-05-2004, 09:00 AM
That's the one. I guess it's only one gate. Their evacuating campers and fisherman.
I'm camping all next week at Lake Clementine. Glad is wasn't up that way.
It's on the North fork. Ralston is the Middle fork.

HCS
08-05-2004, 09:02 AM
Rafters and kyackers could be in big trouble. :jawdrop:

gnarley
08-05-2004, 09:06 AM
Clementine??? Ahh yes, I know the little lake well! I sure miss going there after work and jumping in at the mouth. Not crowded, barely any boats and the water is clean and nice! to bad it wasn't a little bigger though. The drive in to the camping area was killer, is it still?

HCS
08-05-2004, 09:25 AM
Yes, It's awesome! It is small but great for boat in camping.
Swimming, skiing and recreation is excellant. Beautiful camp grounds.
No showers or decent bathrooms though.
That's where the boat shower comes in handy.
I'm going to be there all next week. :)

1Bahnerjet
08-05-2004, 09:29 AM
3' wall o' water.
has anyone notified the inland Surfers ?

1978 Rogers
08-05-2004, 09:33 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040805/ap_on_re_us/wall_of_water

RiverOtter
08-05-2004, 10:43 AM
Let's see some pics :D

HCS
08-05-2004, 01:12 PM
Link to the story.
http://mfile.akamai.com/7967/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2004/0805/3620670.200k.asx

Mandelon
08-05-2004, 01:18 PM
The news story said it will raise Folsom lake by a whopping 1/8th of an inch.... :cry:

HCS
08-05-2004, 01:22 PM
The news story said it will raise Folsom lake by a whopping 1/8th of an inch.... :cry:
The whole dam should have broke. :jawdrop:

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 01:26 PM
The whole dam should have broke. :jawdrop:
That cracks me up... "Raging Waters" "flash flood" and what the hell is that on your head, Mike Tessel...? :idea2: :jawdrop:

HCS
08-05-2004, 01:26 PM
Looks like it was a malfunction not a dam break.
Funny how first reports were that a tree fell on the gate and broke the dam.
Freaking reporters. :rolleyes:

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 01:30 PM
Looks like it was a malfunction not a dam break.
Funny how first reports were that a tree fell on the gate and broke the dam.
Freaking reporters. :rolleyes:
Remember when the gate broke on Folsom and let all that water out when the lake was almost full?

HCS
08-05-2004, 01:43 PM
Remember when the gate broke on Folsom and let all that water out when the lake was almost full?
Yep. I was house boating up at Trinity Lake when that happen.
Kind of freeked us out when we herd about it.
Comming home and seeing the videos was a trip.
Some guy at one of the marinas told us. We laughed and
said sure it did. :jawdrop:
Seems like they don't keep water in that lake ever since that happen.

MsDrmr
08-05-2004, 01:52 PM
I read about that this am. crazy, might have been fun with a raft and lifte jacket :D

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 01:56 PM
:rolleyes: :smilespi: Yep. I was house boating up at Trinity Lake when that happen.
Kind of freeked us out when we herd about it.
Comming home and seeing the videos was a trip.
Some guy at one of the marinas told us. We laughed and
said sure it did. :jawdrop:
Seems like they don't keep water in that lake ever since that happen.
I was getting my boat re-upholstered at Award Interiors down on Northrop off of Howe Avenue, right by the American River. They held back the water in Lake Natoma for about an hour to try to clear the river of rafters and fishermen. I walked over to the river from the upholstery shop to check on progress... and the Sheriff Helicopter was flying over the river with the bullhorn blaring telling everyone to evacuate immediately.
Then remember that the state put out lifeguards to keep boaters out of the way from the water pouring over the spillway and they had forgotten to fuel the state boat? The boat ran out of gas and the same Channel 3 helicopter got tape of the lifeguards jumping out and swimming for their lives as the boat went over the spillway... real rocket scientists...

HCS
08-05-2004, 02:10 PM
:rolleyes: :smilespi:
I was getting my boat re-upholstered at Award Interiors down on Northrop off of Howe Avenue, right by the American River. They held back the water in Lake Natoma for about an hour to try to clear the river of rafters and fishermen. I walked over to the river from the upholstery shop to check on progress... and the Sheriff Helicopter was flying over the river with the bullhorn blaring telling everyone to evacuate immediately.
Then remember that the state put out lifeguards to keep boaters out of the way from the water pouring over the spillway and they had forgotten to fuel the state boat? The boat ran out of gas and the same Channel 3 helicopter got tape of the lifeguards jumping out and swimming for their lives as the boat went over the spillway... real rocket scientists...
Those clownes were lucky they didn't go over the Dam themselfves.

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 06:33 PM
Those clownes were lucky they didn't go over the Dam themselfves.
They really had their eye on the ball that day... "hey dude, the like motor won't start, did you fill up the boat? Noway dude... I did it yesterday, you were supposed to fill the tank... dude... hey um uh......
we're getting kinda close to the falls... jump for it....~!

C-2
08-05-2004, 06:42 PM
I recently learned there was a dam that broke in 1928 where Magic Mountain is located. Killed 450 people, Cali's second largest natural disaster behind the SF earthquake.
Government officials have always tried to keep it quite, I wonder why?
Now if Parker dam let loose...the deepest dam in No. America and all... :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 06:44 PM
I recently learned there was a dam that broke in 1928 where Magic Mountain is located. Killed 450 people, Cali's second largest natural disaster behind the SF earthquake.
Government officials have always tried to keep it quite, I wonder why?
Now if Parker dam let loose...the deepest dam in No. America and all... :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:
That was the reason that William Mulholland retired...

NorCal Gameshow
08-05-2004, 07:05 PM
there's more fun going on up there....pulled this from the paper:
RENO, Nev. - Magma moving deep below Lake Tahoe apparently triggered an unprecedented swarm of 1,600 tiny earthquakes during a seven-month period but they stopped in February and there's no cause for alarm, experts said Thursday.
The migration of the molten rock material 20 miles beneath the surface of the Sierra Nevada also likely caused the mountain beneath the Mt. Rose Ski resort southwest of Reno to rise 8 millimeters, or about 3/8 of an inch, researchers said.

C-2
08-05-2004, 07:05 PM
That was the reason that William Mulholland retired...
Wow, never knew that. He was credited with so much, no wonder they swept it under the rug.
Nice tidbit there doc!

Schiada76
08-05-2004, 07:09 PM
I recently learned there was a dam that broke in 1928 where Magic Mountain is located. Killed 450 people, Cali's second largest natural disaster behind the SF earthquake.
Government officials have always tried to keep it quite, I wonder why?
Now if Parker dam let loose...the deepest dam in No. America and all... :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:
That was San Fransiquito dam, never been kept quiet though. They built it on bad rock.

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 07:53 PM
there's more fun going on up there....pulled this from the paper:
RENO, Nev. - Magma moving deep below Lake Tahoe apparently triggered an unprecedented swarm of 1,600 tiny earthquakes during a seven-month period but they stopped in February and there's no cause for alarm, experts said Thursday.
The migration of the molten rock material 20 miles beneath the surface of the Sierra Nevada also likely caused the mountain beneath the Mt. Rose Ski resort southwest of Reno to rise 8 millimeters, or about 3/8 of an inch, researchers said.
Wow...... "M A G M A" just like Dr. Evil would have said...
I wonder if they can REALLY measure a 3/8 inch rise... pretty miniscule...
Maybe there will be a volcano in Reno... :jawdrop: :jawdrop: It'd be the biggest little Caldera in the world then...

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 07:55 PM
Wow, never knew that. He was credited with so much, no wonder they swept it under the rug.
Nice tidbit there doc!
He actually went to meet with the area residents and tell them everything was OK... then a short time later, a wall of water killed all those people. I think he never forgave himself and retired a recluse.

Debbolas
08-05-2004, 07:55 PM
Where are my Sharks with fricken lazer beams, is that too much to ask, throw me a bone!!!

Debbolas
08-05-2004, 07:57 PM
He actually went to meet with the area residents and tell them everything was OK... then a short time later, a wall of water killed all those people. I think he never forgave himself and retired a recluse.
Are you talking about that guy that bought up all the water rights for So Cal from North Cal? Mullhuland?

Dr. Eagle
08-05-2004, 08:15 PM
Are you talking about that guy that bought up all the water rights for So Cal from North Cal? Mullhuland?
Here is a synopsis...
William Mulholland
"There it is. Take it."
-- William Mulholland, 1913
William Mulholland (1855-1935) was born in Ireland, took to sea as young man, and arrived in San Pedro in 1877 where he found work as a ditch tender with the Los Angeles City Water Company. A self-educated engineer with minimal schooling, he went on to become superintendent and chief engineer of the city’s water department, a position he held for more than 40 years.
A natural leader, Mulholland, known affectionately as "The Chief," was entrusted with building a 233-mile aqueduct, the world’s longest at the time, to bring water from the Owens River north of Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley, where developers awaited conversion of dry land into farms and housing tracts. Some called the project "the rape of the Owens Valley," and Owens Valley farmers sometimes violently protested the project. The story, in greatly fictionalized form, became the inspiration for the movie "Chinatown." Dubbed the "Panama Canal of the West," the project required the massing of 3,900 workers and the digging of 164 tunnels, almost 52 miles in all. The first Owens River water flowed into a San Fernando Valley reservoir on Nov. 5, 1913. At the ceremony marking the occasion, the laconic Mulholland uttered what may be the five most famous words in the city’s history, "There it is. Take it."
Fifteen years later, on March 12, 1928, Mulholland’s career took a tragic turn when the St. Francis Dam, one of several dams built to increase storage of Owens River water, collapsed, sending 12 billion gallons of water into the Santa Clara Valley, north of Los Angeles. The flood claimed over 400 lives. The Coroner's Jury that investigated the failure of the St. Francis Dam reached three conclusions: 1) that the underlying rock structure was of poor quality and the design of the dam was not suited to the inferior foundation; 2) that there was an error in engineering judgment in determining the character of the foundation of the dam site and in deciding the best type of dam to build there; and 3) that there was an error in regard to fundamental policy related to public safety, in that excessive responsibility was vested in one person and no independent experts were authorized to check on his work. In essence, the Jury found that Mulholland, although not criminally liable for the deaths, did make serious errors. "The Chief" took full responsibility, saying: "If there is an error of human judgment, I am the human." Several months later he retired. His final years were lived in the shadow of the St. Francis Dam collapse.
Mulholland remains a legendary and controversial figure in Southern California history, the man credited by many with making modern Los Angeles possible. In a gesture of civic gratitude for building the aqueduct, the city named its most scenic highway in his honor. To this day, a trip along Mulholland Drive is a "must" for anyone wishing to grasp the immensity of the metropolis he helped to build.
-- Contributed by Albert Greenstein, 1999