Juan, the MSM could learn so much from you. You are unbiased and report facts to the best of your knowledge and research. And when you theorize or guess, you always make sure to tell us that. Keep up the great work...
Juan, your "news" coverage is 10 times better than the media. Shame on them. You are doing a subperb job of keeping people accurately informed (unlike some of the other video on YT which is pure sensation)
it was lovely to see you so happy next to your wife! Please thank her for agreeing to be a part of your vlogs sometimes. It is just one more way of showing how the people matter... more than fish... more than politics. Let's care for nature, certainly, but care for our families first. 😎
Just wanted to send our appreciation for your coverage and all your work on your channel. Dad and I really do enjoy it. Thank you sir, from Ontario, Canada.🇨🇦
So glad I found your reports as I usually steer clear of RUclips. Your depth of knowledge and even-handed presentation are refreshing.The hat helps, too. Maybe if our governor had one like it... My family has been in California since 1850, and I can usually spot a fellow native. For all our predicaments, California is still a paradise. Everybody who flies with you (even though they have no idea who you are) is fortunate.
God bless you sir, for keeping the rest of California updated on this. The Dam not only impacts Oroville, but the rest of California also. Keep up the good work.
Indeed. It isn't just information, but the background and perspective that are necessary to interpret the information that are so valuable. Keep up the good work.
Alex Tudor, bassangler73 ... for a restitution sum in excess of $300,000 at current valuation @ $35,000 ea. plus the usifruct thereof, ie income of annual yield of crop harvest =surplus margin over c. 2,000 lbs at break-even price of $1.90 per pound, lets generously say 50¢/lb - citing www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/content/attachments/economics_of_growing_almonds_revised.pdf factored by 2 to 4 years needed to reestablish a new orchard from planting (since buying pre-existing orchard is well nigh impossible, majority owned by hi-yield seeking investors and hedge funds although that may be changing www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-04-26/california-farmland-plunge-20-or-more-returns-sink-lowest-level-1992)
Clare Krishan they deserve something...8 acres may not sound like much but you can grow lots of crops on it...a small backyard garden will feed several families so it's a huge loss
Best still photo of your entire Oroville Incident coverage to date?? ..… such a lovely pic of Mr & Mrs Blancolirio looking radiant in some lovely Spring sunshine. 😜👍👍 Enjoying your coverage IMMENSELY, Juan, and really appreciate all the hard work, editing, and all the extensive and exceedingly fair, objective reporting that you have been and continue to put in. Keep it all coming. (from a fascinated, lay viewer from the other side of the Atlantic. (in Welsh Wales, where we grow plenty of green grass, sheep.... , and reservoirs of our own! ) And loved your whistle-stop tour-guide of London. Have you never heard of 'jet lag', Juan? lol You are an absolute credit as a You Tube creator, not just on Oroville Dam matters, and I'm enjoying slowly working my way thru your 'non-Orville Dam incident' 'back catalog' of postings, too. Have a great May Day holiday weekend you all. Great stuff and muchachos gracias for all that you are doing and posting, Juan. And long may it continue. Cheers for now, Mark. 👍👍
+ yupyup - Yes, I enjoyed his comment also. Isn't it amazing how even people in other countries realize the importance and appreciate Juan's reporting on the Oroville Dam situation?
Juan, I've watched all of your videos regarding the Oroville dam spillway problem, and i must say that the depth of detail you put into the videos is fantastic. You are obviously putting hours of your oun time in the these videos to keep the global veiwers well informed. Thankyou. Justin. N.S.W. Australia
G'day from Australia, Juan! Have been following your videos since the slipway gave out. You're doing a great job, especially seeing as this is not making the news down under. Keep it up mate, and wishing the people of Oroville all the best.
Being that you were the first channel that I found on the Oro Dam crisis back on Feb. 15; I am thankful you are still going strong! Please stay grounded with the people, we need folks like you at the site
Not just California, but from Dayton OH, just wanted to say thank you for these videos. We have really enjoyed them. Great work! First channel I check for updates after work.
Epic update, much enjoyed and appreciated here in the UK. You're gifted. A lot of priase to all those involved with the huge of work undertaken since the crisis began, amazing to see how much can be done during an emergency / stabilisation process.
Juan: Another great report. Thank you for your honest, straight forward reporting. It is indeed a breath of fresh air in this era of talking head sound bites designed for the insouciant masses. Glad you got the Luscombe back in the air; fantastic little ship!
That was your best video so far. Loved the money quotes. The DWR maintenance record speaks for itself and the threat is not terrorism, but DWR maintenance. No kidding. In my opinion, Croyle really stepped in it when he equated the spillway failure to a flat tire or running your engine out of oil. If you run your engine out of oil, it's negligence, not bad luck. Also laughed out loud at the comment about the mainstream media being more concerned about saving the fish than the lives of the residents.
It would be nice if DWR would make available the amount stored and the amount available to store at each reservoir elevation level. It would be difficult to read through but would give people a better understanding. Also one acre foot is equal to 43,000 cubic feet. IE 43,000 CFS means one acre foot in or out of the reservoir per second. I don't think anyone explained the need to secure the leading edge ( upstream edge ) to keep it from lifting when water pressure gets under it. When that happens it lifts and starts to "fly". That's the rock bolts........To apend that, I've been saying for a while, they need to start drawing down the lake when they see a storm coming on the weather report not when the inflow starts going up. The spillway was always going to fail. Maintenance is an issue but there is an inherent design flaw right from the start
It's already a lot farther away than most dams. At most dams the main spillway is built into the dam structure itself. Here they had a hillside off to the left of the dam where they could build the main and emergency spillways. That topography is quite unusual.
sweepleader: The 2016 California Infrastructure budget report says this, "As a result of many years of budget reductions, departments’ annual operating budgets provide limited funding for facility maintenance This has made it difficult for departments to address large maintenance projects such as replacing heating and cooling system or roofs. Consequently, departments undertake only the most critical activities to keep facilities operational, and other maintenance items are deferred Deferring routine maintenance can lead to facility deterioration-and ultimately failure-and sometimes the need to replace the facility sooner than otherwise would have been required if it was properly maintained Deferred maintenance can be costly and ignoring it can be a potential threat to public safety At present, the reported statewide deferred maintenance need totals more than $77 billion, as shown in Figure INO-02." The DWR is shown (in the table that follows the above quoted paragraph) with $13billion in deferred maintenance outstanding, and only $100million allocated to address that. That was written before Oroville, which has eaten that $100 million and then some already!
No memory is needed, I never heard of Oroville until this spillway failure. Check the last 10 years of inspection reports. Look for the part that says "the trees along the spillway need to be removed". That is a pretty cheap fix that was in many of the inspection reports. Then check the photos of the years following each report, or just check the photos of the failing spillway, the trees are still there. It is pretty obvious that maintenance was not completed as required, not even the very cheapest maintenance. I don't expect you are interested enough to look it up though, you are too interested in defending poor management, I suppose you are on the payroll. Maybe not, but it sure sounds like it.
The dam is 50 years old. The spillway didn't wait for Jerry Brown's election before it started deteriorating. What's your feeling about spending $77 billion to catch up on all the deferred maintenance? Failure to maintain infrastructure isn't just a California problem, by the way.
Bravo, Captain Browne! Bravo! I used to live in Norcal: Lassen and Siskayou counties...oh, it is wonderful to hear that folks still have their heads on their shoulders up there. God bless!
Thank you again for your outstanding work, Juan. I agree on all points. You are in fact too kind. I too was furious at the initial concern for fish over human life and the near total lack of transparency through official channels. The hairs-breadth by which total disaster downstream was narrowly averted (primarily due to God's grace) is absolutely stunning. The farmers have good reason to be distrustful of the DWR and government maintenance - actually, lack of maintenance. These farmers and the other folks downstream deserve much, much better. Having participated in public input meetings myself, over land use issues (not in CA), I'd be interested to see some of the more relevant footage of that 5-hour public discussion.
I simply can't imagine living in fear of being swept away by a failed dam. Talk about emotional distress. Someone should go to jail IMHO. Thanks Juan. Love your reports.
another breath- of- fresh- air-bit-of- journalism . thank you . I'm thinking out loud here but. . . . I don't think I've ever been particularly interested in the jingle or background music of any news channel or show . or who composed it . but with you , meeting 'Aram Bedrosian' via video introduction seems cool and interesting . I cant explain it smhrn
Thank you very much for this report! You've answered DOZENS of the questions that everyone asks. Thanks for setting the record straight on the political leanings of this part of the state. This part of the state votes pretty much the same as the voters in, say, Kansas.
Thanks for the update!! Always informative as usual. Might I suggest going downstream to see what the farmers and others are talking about? (flooded orchards, breached levees, etc.)
Juan, your my new hero!! I have not had so much interest in California since 10 months in 1995 watching a youthful Marcia Clark bounce across a courtroom in L.A. LOL Your coverage of Lake Oroville is spectacular. I'm located in Missouri. stuck in a 2 day Thunder storm pattern. In 2011 the army corps of engineers use their judgement and wisdom to flood the Missouri River Basin. The "necessary release of water flooded 7 areas ofstates from North Dakota to Missouri. Billions of dollars in damages, millions of acres of land damaged, hundreds of businesses lost, in Missouri a trooper and his K-9 were killed. Our gov't should learn from their past errors. U R correct DWR record stands on its own. I saw that an earthen dam 45 miles north of Oroville is in danger. I hope DWR begins to act proactive than so reactive, for your all's saftey. Thanks for the video on the motorcycle land speed record. I'm old enough the rember a guy from "down under" by the name of Bert Munrow. His movie was" The Worlds's Fastest Indian". I pray for you folks, be safe, keep the videos coming, and hold on to your "day job". Peace. J
I've been following this from Pennsylvania as an interested engineer. Your reporting is fantastic. Lots of people criticized Jeannie's responses, but my guess was that she wasn't sure how technical of a discussion a random citizen with a camera was looking for in that sort of arena. Of course, the performance of her design will have the final word.
Thanks Juan for your reports, as always a mine of information. I live in the UK, so I am in no threat, but your style of reporting (straight info) has me hooked
Great reporting. One way to confirm seep or spring is to test the water. by testing one could confirm natural waters or dam contained water. usually the conductivity is different.
Juan, thank you very much for your good work on the spillway problem! The question remains of what we can do to properly repair this Oroville spillway mess. Looking for the cheapest way out was what got us into the mess in the first place, and the cheapest way out is most likely not the best way to resolve the problems. The final spillway structure need not be gold-plated, but certainly should be hell-for-strong. Have we not heard of "failure analysis"?. Think of all the ways that things could go wrong, and fix all of them before they do. Not ignore them, like the original design did. Dirt under any part of the spillway? Unacceptable. RCC on bedrock, with anchor bolts tying the rebars in the concrete 50' into the bedrock. Cavitation? Not if we use bulb seals, like this o-O-o , and why not use two of them, one stacked on top of the other? Is there some reason to not grind tops on both sides of each expansion joint, so that they are at the same level? And go back again in 5 years and grind them again, after things settle a bit? More rock bolts! Lots of rock bolts! Cheap insurance, through the spillway slab of real high-strength concrete placed over the top of the existing low-grade rocks-and-water concrete. The extra cement required for high strength concrete is only pennies more than the low-grade. High enough sides to contain a flow of 350,000 cfs or so. Yes, we need more; make another real spillway, same high-quality design, using part of the "emergency" spillway area. In fact, if we wanted to be smart about it, we would finish the protective temporary repairs on the existing junk spillway, and at the same time let a contract for the new high-quality spillway on the "emergency" area. When the new 350,000 cfs spillway is complete and functioning, it is time to go back and do the same thing to the present spillway. Probably will not be needed for another 1000 years, but the high cost of a dam failure multiplied by the low probability makes it worth doing right. Right now. Regards Dr. Joseph L. Hemmer, P.E., Esq.
Great video Juan, much needed info is in your video presentation which gives the public some kind of background for them to figure out what is going on. Nice saying hello to you "Blancolirio" at the meeting Thurs, you're doing a great job my friend. I'll be at the meeting 5/2 to hear if DWR is releasing their report on the green seep area on the dam.A rip roaring meeting....coming to you from Evacuation Area 1A, Oroville , Ca.
Hi Juan, great job as always, glad you're there. This green patch seepage is what I've been asking you about because I really do believe this spillway issue is truly under control, the main dam seepage is what really has me concerned.
Juan if you ever get to southern Idaho you can see whats left of the Teton Dam that failed in the 70's. it was 310' tall and it was the first time it was filled up.
Thanks Juan for the current report and status.! Who ever is in charge of the DWR Public relations/Media should put a full page report in all the Northern California News Papers and Web Sites to keep Californians up to date with what happened and when the repairs are going to start. This should be done at least on a monthly basis.
The reporting you have done throughout this has been very levelheaded and based in facts, not 2-3 min of fear mongering common in ALL the video media. Great simple, insightful reporting. Thanks Engineering background, Naval Aviator, with time as a squadron maintenance officer in large grey ships PERHAPS ? Triple 7 on international routes would say you have been with AA for a while. The type of personal airplane and the way you talked about the 777 says you love flying. You are the commercial pilot everybody wants in the front of the plane. You, Boeing and General Electric defying the laws of physics, yet again !! And you have a great family! Keep having fun and enjoy your kids before they grow up on you (we never get old, everybody else ages on us). Keep it up
Another great report Juan! If I were out there living below the dam, I too would be concerned with the seepage seen. It is most likely an issue with concern over complacency because as we are well aware, DWR hasn't done a very good job with keeping up with small issues that grow into a LARGE issue. Maybe it is nothing, but maybe they can do something with ground penetrating radar or some other cool technology to determine if it is seepage from the reservoir or a spring as they suggest. I have become so cynical of government organizations to tell the truth lately because again, history supports this cynicism. You sir are doing a great job reporting on this situation though and it is appreciated.
You can certainly understand the concern, anxiety and frustration. I live in North Carolina and have kept up with this since the beginning. It's a concern for everyone in the US because it seems the Government either local or national seems to never want to take responsibility. It reminds me of Katrina, Superstorm Sandy and on and on. Nothing is fixed until it's completely broken or destroyed. Keep up the great work Juan. Thanks for all that you are doing to keep everyone informed. Sad that you have to do what the news media should be doing. But then again. I can trust you, I can't trust the media.
2nd! 😁✌ Thx so much, Juan, for your down-to-earth, straight-up style of reporting "just the facts, ma'am!" You're the best 😎✌✈ Really liked the family pics taken at Shasta Dam...we've taken the dam tour before and wow, isn't that something!
In regards to your comment on "All dams leak" I suggest you research a geotechnical failure mode called a "Piping Failure". It is very very dangerous and can lead to a complete dam breach. It could be a simple seep or it could be a major issue. The lack of information about monitoring is very concerning.
Juan, excellent video as always. If I might, I'd offer a slight technical clarification. In the beginning of the video, the lady DWR engineering manager slightly mis-spoke regarding "RCC." RCC is the acronym for roller-compacted concrete, not reinforced concrete. Roller-compacted concrete is a technique often used in dam construction in which cement, sand, and aggregate are mixed, spread and placed in lifts prior to adding water in much the same way earthfill is placed and compacted. Water is added during or after the compaction process, which is done with rollers. The addition of water causes the dry concrete to set up and achieve its strength over time, like regular pre-mixed wet concrete. The advantage of RCC is that it can be constructed in place with very steep slopes, which is not possible with compacted earth fill, and will achieve compressive strength much greater than earth fill. (I know this from being an engineering geologist who has worked on dams in SoCal, but never at Oroville). You're providing a great service. Thanks and all the best.
I have been watching and listening to you for most of your videos and I enjoy your professionalism. I don't live California so I am not interested in the local politics. I hope you stay focused on the facts and the overall problem and possible solutions you have done a very good job on the dam and setting through 5 hour meeting is very impressive. I don't know if I understand the farmers concerns and I would like to know what they want the see happen. Thank You for you good work
Another great informational video. May I suggest to those who do not live in that area of a google earth explanation of all the major areas that you cover, including the dam, power plant, damaged spillway, emergency spillway and the river heading away from it. You spoke of farmers downstream suffering so you may want to include that in that video. Keep up the great work cause we don't trust government officials to tell us the whole story.
Sole source of information, updates and clarity. Juan is the personality type that should be vetted by our agencies as top agency managers. Juan represents ethics and civics in public service reflecting the health and safety of population and environment. Juan, your investigations and updates are critical to knowledge that we who live outside this area but are directly affected by ancillary impacts, This means folks even outside of California who will be moving federal funds for the disaster recovery, and they don't even live in this state or utilize the water resource. The managers in DWR must be removed from their positions and held accountable. They should not be moved to another department or agency to migrate their form of hubris. Replace these failed managers with accountable managers who have GUTS to do the right thing when required. Thank you for your legacy work, an informed public is a safe and secure public.
Thank you Juan. I hope you can find time in the next month or two, to get down stream and give us a better look at that area. On how this is affecting the local farmers, who have said at the meeting, as you pointed out. That this relief rate is too high.
Best. Reporting. Yet. Living in the upper Feather River watershed, we've had initiatives going on for decades to restore the high valleys so that they hold more water for longer periods of time, releasing the water more slowly over the summer. Many of the larger valleys were converted to cattle ranching and all the water channelized, but the economy is changing and there's residential development pressure up and down the Sierra so land use is likely to continue changing. There's virtually no acknowledgment or support for this restoration work outside the small mountain communities that support it...if you're interested I can introduce you to some folks who do this kind of work here in Plumas County. Ultimately we as a state need to work on all the upstream and downstream elements of this super complex system and bring a lot more awareness and transparency to how decisions are made.
Thanks for the coverage and updates, Juan. Such a sensible fellow in California. And, glad to hear there are other sensible people in northern CA. Could not tell it by national news. We just see San Francisco, Jerry Brown, Pelosi and people who love fish more than other humans. I'm out in Ohio in flyover country, so give a wave next time you fly over.
I was on the lake in my kayak paddling past Kelly Point on the morning of 2/12 when the lake was record breaking full. Yeah, that infiniti pool was pretty awesome in the distance!
Would it be possible for you to show us pictures of the farms and orchards downstream? I'm a Hydraulic Engineer from South Dakota and have never been to California, so it would be nice to see what you are talking about. Thanks for keeping us informed. Your videos have been great.
Juan, the MSM could learn so much from you. You are unbiased and report facts to the best of your knowledge and research. And when you theorize or guess, you always make sure to tell us that. Keep up the great work...
I think "22 minutes!" but I always cling to every minute of your videos. Your very good at this. Thank you.
Juan, your "news" coverage is 10 times better than the media. Shame on them. You are doing a subperb job of keeping people accurately informed (unlike some of the other video on YT which is pure sensation)
it was lovely to see you so happy next to your wife! Please thank her for agreeing to be a part of your vlogs sometimes. It is just one more way of showing how the people matter... more than fish... more than politics. Let's care for nature, certainly, but care for our families first. 😎
Just wanted to send our appreciation for your coverage and all your work on your channel. Dad and I really do enjoy it. Thank you sir, from Ontario, Canada.🇨🇦
So glad I found your reports as I usually steer clear of RUclips. Your depth of knowledge and even-handed presentation are refreshing.The hat helps, too. Maybe if our governor had one like it... My family has been in California since 1850, and I can usually spot a fellow native. For all our predicaments, California is still a paradise. Everybody who flies with you (even though they have no idea who you are) is fortunate.
God bless you sir, for keeping the rest of California updated on this. The Dam not only impacts Oroville, but the rest of California also. Keep up the good work.
I don't care how the state of California spins it Juan. YOU are the real source of information for the world.
Indeed. It isn't just information, but the background and perspective that are necessary to interpret the information that are so valuable. Keep up the good work.
plus lots of rumors… Juan has a scientific mind!
The most comprehensive cut to the chase reporting I have ever encountered. Keep up the good work.
Would like to see some footage down stream to see what the farmers are dealing with. If possible. Thank you for all your work.
F Del Mater its pretty bad farmers are losing up to 8 acres of property in some places
F Del Mater 8 acres? man thats a lot of growing area
Alex Tudor, bassangler73
... for a restitution sum in excess of $300,000 at current valuation @ $35,000 ea. plus the usifruct thereof, ie income of annual yield of crop harvest =surplus margin over c. 2,000 lbs at break-even price of $1.90 per pound, lets generously say 50¢/lb - citing www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/content/attachments/economics_of_growing_almonds_revised.pdf factored by 2 to 4 years needed to reestablish a new orchard from planting (since buying pre-existing orchard is well nigh impossible, majority owned by hi-yield seeking investors and hedge funds although that may be changing www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-04-26/california-farmland-plunge-20-or-more-returns-sink-lowest-level-1992)
Clare Krishan they deserve something...8 acres may not sound like much but you can grow lots of crops on it...a small backyard garden will feed several families so it's a huge loss
Best still photo of your entire Oroville Incident coverage to date?? ..… such a lovely pic of Mr & Mrs Blancolirio looking radiant in some lovely Spring sunshine. 😜👍👍
Enjoying your coverage IMMENSELY, Juan, and really appreciate all the hard work, editing, and all the extensive and exceedingly fair, objective reporting that you have been and continue to put in. Keep it all coming. (from a fascinated, lay viewer from the other side of the Atlantic. (in Welsh Wales, where we grow plenty of green grass, sheep.... , and reservoirs of our own! ) And loved your whistle-stop tour-guide of London. Have you never heard of 'jet lag', Juan? lol
You are an absolute credit as a You Tube creator, not just on Oroville Dam matters, and I'm enjoying slowly working my way thru your 'non-Orville Dam incident' 'back catalog' of postings, too. Have a great May Day holiday weekend you all. Great stuff and muchachos gracias for all that you are doing and posting, Juan. And long may it continue. Cheers for now, Mark. 👍👍
Mark Pearce
I enjoyed reading your comment, it was very nice.
+ yupyup - Yes, I enjoyed his comment also. Isn't it amazing how even people in other countries realize the importance and appreciate Juan's reporting on the Oroville Dam situation?
yupyup1562, newbeequilter Agreed! 👌
Excellent report Juan. Thank you.
Juan, I've watched all of your videos regarding the Oroville dam spillway problem, and i must say that the depth of detail you put into the videos is fantastic. You are obviously putting hours of your oun time in the these videos to keep the global veiwers well informed. Thankyou. Justin. N.S.W. Australia
Another fantastic update, Juan. Thank you.
G'day from Australia, Juan! Have been following your videos since the slipway gave out. You're doing a great job, especially seeing as this is not making the news down under. Keep it up mate, and wishing the people of Oroville all the best.
I like their proposed fix. The seep is a very serious issue. The squeaky wheel gets the gease. Good coverage from your reports. I am really hooked.
Being that you were the first channel that I found on the Oro Dam crisis back on Feb. 15; I am thankful you are still going strong! Please stay grounded with the people, we need folks like you at the site
JUAN BROWNE thank you for the EXCELLENT update! ✈️🇺🇸
Juan, It's Ryan Schohr. Thanks for what you do so well.
Excellent reporting as usual! You're my number one source for reports about the Oroville Dam.
Well done Juan!
Another interesting, factual and brilliantly presented report.
I have followed the entire blancolirio series. Keep them coming.
Thank you for your determined and unbiased journalism regarding the Oroville Spillway.
Not just California, but from Dayton OH, just wanted to say thank you for these videos. We have really enjoyed them. Great work! First channel I check for updates after work.
Enjoy so much being able to see your reports on the Oroville Dam, you are Awesome, Juan!
Epic update, much enjoyed and appreciated here in the UK. You're gifted. A lot of priase to all those involved with the huge of work undertaken since the crisis began, amazing to see how much can be done during an emergency / stabilisation process.
Thanks for the wonderful reports Juan.
Juan: Another great report. Thank you for your honest, straight forward reporting. It is indeed a breath of fresh air in this era of talking head sound bites designed for the insouciant masses. Glad you got the Luscombe back in the air; fantastic little ship!
That was your best video so far. Loved the money quotes. The DWR maintenance record speaks for itself and the threat is not terrorism, but DWR maintenance. No kidding. In my opinion, Croyle really stepped in it when he equated the spillway failure to a flat tire or running your engine out of oil. If you run your engine out of oil, it's negligence, not bad luck. Also laughed out loud at the comment about the mainstream media being more concerned about saving the fish than the lives of the residents.
Another great report Juan!
It would be nice if DWR would make available the amount stored and the amount available to store at each reservoir elevation level. It would be difficult to read through but would give people a better understanding. Also one acre foot is equal to 43,000 cubic feet. IE 43,000 CFS means one acre foot in or out of the reservoir per second. I don't think anyone explained the need to secure the leading edge ( upstream edge ) to keep it from lifting when water pressure gets under it. When that happens it lifts and starts to "fly". That's the rock bolts........To apend that, I've been saying for a while, they need to start drawing down the lake when they see a storm coming on the weather report not when the inflow starts going up. The spillway was always going to fail. Maintenance is an issue but there is an inherent design flaw right from the start
always enjoy his reports, two thumbs up!!
they should have made this spillway a lot farther away from this dam, but then there is a gold quarry off to the left somewhere, not far.
It's already a lot farther away than most dams. At most dams the main spillway is built into the dam structure itself. Here they had a hillside off to the left of the dam where they could build the main and emergency spillways. That topography is quite unusual.
YahshuaLovesMe Supposedly there's gold ore at the bottom of the dam. There's a few people who want the dam to break so they can go prospecting...
Thank you Juan. I have not seen any better reporting. You make the MSM look ridiculous, as they mostly are!
DWR maintenance is indeed the threat. Very much like government on every issue. Thanks Juan, very nice report.
sweepleader: The 2016 California Infrastructure budget report says this, "As a result of many years of budget reductions, departments’ annual operating budgets provide limited funding for facility maintenance This has made it difficult for departments to address large maintenance projects such as replacing heating and cooling system or roofs. Consequently, departments undertake only the most critical activities to keep facilities operational, and other maintenance items are deferred Deferring routine maintenance can lead to facility deterioration-and ultimately failure-and sometimes the need to replace the facility sooner than otherwise would have been required if it was properly maintained Deferred maintenance can be costly and ignoring it can be a potential threat to public safety At present, the reported statewide deferred maintenance need totals more than $77 billion, as shown in Figure INO-02."
The DWR is shown (in the table that follows the above quoted paragraph) with $13billion in deferred maintenance outstanding, and only $100million allocated to address that. That was written before Oroville, which has eaten that $100 million and then some already!
No memory is needed, I never heard of Oroville until this spillway failure. Check the last 10 years of inspection reports. Look for the part that says "the trees along the spillway need to be removed". That is a pretty cheap fix that was in many of the inspection reports. Then check the photos of the years following each report, or just check the photos of the failing spillway, the trees are still there. It is pretty obvious that maintenance was not completed as required, not even the very cheapest maintenance. I don't expect you are interested enough to look it up though, you are too interested in defending poor management, I suppose you are on the payroll. Maybe not, but it sure sounds like it.
he needs to be management friendly or he couldn't get the info he does. probably.
The dam is 50 years old. The spillway didn't wait for Jerry Brown's election before it started deteriorating.
What's your feeling about spending $77 billion to catch up on all the deferred maintenance?
Failure to maintain infrastructure isn't just a California problem, by the way.
Pay me now or pay a lot more later.
Bravo, Captain Browne! Bravo! I used to live in Norcal: Lassen and Siskayou counties...oh, it is wonderful to hear that folks still have their heads on their shoulders up there. God bless!
Consisten, high quality, factual reporting with no BS.
THANKS for your continued effort.
Juan, another excellent tour and documentary! Glad you got your Luscombe going. Happy flights!
Thank you again for your outstanding work, Juan. I agree on all points. You are in fact too kind.
I too was furious at the initial concern for fish over human life and the near total lack of transparency through official channels. The hairs-breadth by which total disaster downstream was narrowly averted (primarily due to God's grace) is absolutely stunning.
The farmers have good reason to be distrustful of the DWR and government maintenance - actually, lack of maintenance. These farmers and the other folks downstream deserve much, much better.
Having participated in public input meetings myself, over land use issues (not in CA), I'd be interested to see some of the more relevant footage of that 5-hour public discussion.
That would have been an interesting meeting to attend..... Thanks for going for the rest of us Juan.
Thank you again for another great report. The mainstream media could take some lessons.
I simply can't imagine living in fear of being swept away by a failed dam. Talk about emotional distress. Someone should go to jail IMHO. Thanks Juan. Love your reports.
Prayers for them and the whole situation.
another breath- of- fresh- air-bit-of- journalism . thank you . I'm thinking out loud here but. . . . I don't think I've ever been particularly interested in the jingle or background music of any news channel or show . or who composed it . but with you , meeting 'Aram Bedrosian' via video introduction seems cool and interesting . I cant explain it smhrn
Thank you very much for this report! You've answered DOZENS of the questions that everyone asks. Thanks for setting the record straight on the political leanings of this part of the state. This part of the state votes pretty much the same as the voters in, say, Kansas.
Thanks for the update!! Always informative as usual. Might I suggest going downstream to see what the farmers and others are talking about? (flooded orchards, breached levees, etc.)
Thanks for being willing to spend so much of your time on this issue. Your my go to information source.
Juan, your my new hero!! I have not had so much interest in California since 10 months in 1995 watching a youthful Marcia Clark bounce across a courtroom in L.A. LOL Your coverage of Lake Oroville is spectacular. I'm located in Missouri. stuck in a 2 day Thunder storm pattern. In 2011 the army corps of engineers use their judgement and wisdom to flood the Missouri River Basin. The "necessary release of water flooded 7 areas ofstates from North Dakota to Missouri. Billions of dollars in damages, millions of acres of land damaged, hundreds of businesses lost, in Missouri a trooper and his K-9 were killed.
Our gov't should learn from their past errors. U R correct DWR record stands on its own. I saw that an earthen dam 45 miles north of Oroville is in danger. I hope DWR begins to act proactive than so reactive, for your all's saftey.
Thanks for the video on the motorcycle land speed record. I'm old enough the rember a guy from "down under" by the name of Bert Munrow. His movie was" The Worlds's Fastest Indian". I pray for you folks, be safe, keep the videos coming, and hold on to your "day job". Peace. J
I've been following this from Pennsylvania as an interested engineer. Your reporting is fantastic. Lots of people criticized Jeannie's responses, but my guess was that she wasn't sure how technical of a discussion a random citizen with a camera was looking for in that sort of arena. Of course, the performance of her design will have the final word.
Thanks Juan for your reports, as always a mine of information. I live in the UK, so I am in no threat, but your style of reporting (straight info) has me hooked
Thanks for another great report Juan! Cant wait to see the work to repair the spillway this summer. Keep the heat on Cali DWR as the repairs are made.
Great job so far Juan, keep up the great work.
Great reporting. One way to confirm seep or spring is to test the water. by testing one could confirm natural waters or dam contained water. usually the conductivity is different.
Juan, thank you very much for your good work on the spillway problem!
The question remains of what we can do to properly repair this
Oroville spillway mess. Looking for the cheapest way out was what got us into the mess in the first place, and the cheapest way out is most likely not the best
way to resolve the problems. The final spillway structure need not be
gold-plated, but certainly should be hell-for-strong. Have we not heard
of "failure analysis"?. Think of all the ways that things could go
wrong, and fix all of them before they do. Not ignore them, like the
original design did.
Dirt under any part of the spillway? Unacceptable. RCC on bedrock, with
anchor bolts tying the rebars in the concrete 50' into the bedrock.
Cavitation? Not if we use bulb seals, like this o-O-o , and why not use two of
them, one stacked on top of the other? Is there some reason to not
grind tops on both sides of each expansion joint, so that they are at
the same level? And go back again in 5 years and grind them again,
after things settle a bit?
More rock bolts! Lots of rock bolts! Cheap insurance, through the spillway slab of real high-strength concrete placed over the top of the existing low-grade rocks-and-water concrete. The extra cement required for high strength concrete is only pennies more than the low-grade.
High enough sides to contain a flow of 350,000 cfs or so. Yes, we need
more; make another real spillway, same high-quality design, using part
of the "emergency" spillway area. In fact, if we wanted to be smart
about it, we would finish the protective temporary repairs on the
existing junk spillway, and at the same time let a contract for the new
high-quality spillway on the "emergency" area. When the new 350,000
cfs spillway is complete and functioning, it is time to go back and do
the same thing to the present spillway. Probably will not be needed for
another 1000 years, but the high cost of a dam failure multiplied by
the low probability makes it worth doing right. Right now.
Regards
Dr. Joseph L. Hemmer, P.E., Esq.
Great video Juan, much needed info is in your video presentation which gives the public some kind of background for them to figure out what is going on. Nice saying hello to you "Blancolirio" at the meeting Thurs, you're doing a great job my friend. I'll be at the meeting 5/2 to hear if DWR is releasing their report on the green seep area on the dam.A rip roaring meeting....coming to you from Evacuation Area 1A, Oroville , Ca.
Hi Juan, great job as always, glad you're there. This green patch seepage is what I've been asking you about because I really do believe this spillway issue is truly under control, the main dam seepage is what really has me concerned.
Thank you for sharing another very interesting video. God bless you and your family
Juan if you ever get to southern Idaho you can see whats left of the Teton Dam that failed in the 70's. it was 310' tall and it was the first time it was filled up.
Thanks Juan for the current report and status.! Who ever is in charge of the DWR Public relations/Media should put a full page report in all the Northern California News Papers and Web Sites to keep Californians up to date with what happened and when the repairs are going to start. This should be done at least on a monthly basis.
Great update! Thank you, Juan!
The reporting you have done throughout this has been very levelheaded and based in facts, not 2-3 min of fear mongering common in ALL the video media. Great simple, insightful reporting. Thanks
Engineering background, Naval Aviator, with time as a squadron maintenance officer in large grey ships PERHAPS ?
Triple 7 on international routes would say you have been with AA for a while. The type of personal airplane and the way you talked about the 777 says you love flying. You are the commercial pilot everybody wants in the front of the plane.
You, Boeing and General Electric defying the laws of physics, yet again !!
And you have a great family! Keep having fun and enjoy your kids before they grow up on you (we never get old, everybody else ages on us).
Keep it up
Kevin OR thanks Kevin!
Another great report Juan! If I were out there living below the dam, I too would be concerned with the seepage seen. It is most likely an issue with concern over complacency because as we are well aware, DWR hasn't done a very good job with keeping up with small issues that grow into a LARGE issue. Maybe it is nothing, but maybe they can do something with ground penetrating radar or some other cool technology to determine if it is seepage from the reservoir or a spring as they suggest. I have become so cynical of government organizations to tell the truth lately because again, history supports this cynicism. You sir are doing a great job reporting on this situation though and it is appreciated.
Really love your updates and reporting. Thanks.
you have the most balanced thoughtful view on this situation thanks Juan
Best yet! Your reports just keep getting better.
Good update. I do hear of some other people, engineers included, that are more worried about the seapage on the damn than you seem to be.
Great work. We really enjoy your work on getting info out!
Yet another excellent report, Thanks Juan
Best coverage of this saga!
thanks and keep up the good work Juan. very informative. From a concerned Palermo resident.
So you mean to tell me they are going to fix 40 years of mis-management within 6 months (by the Fall of this year)? Love to see this!
You can certainly understand the concern, anxiety and frustration. I live in North Carolina and have kept up with this since the beginning. It's a concern for everyone in the US because it seems the Government either local or national seems to never want to take responsibility. It reminds me of Katrina, Superstorm Sandy and on and on. Nothing is fixed until it's completely broken or destroyed.
Keep up the great work Juan. Thanks for all that you are doing to keep everyone informed. Sad that you have to do what the news media should be doing. But then again. I can trust you, I can't trust the media.
2nd! 😁✌ Thx so much, Juan, for your down-to-earth, straight-up style of reporting "just the facts, ma'am!" You're the best 😎✌✈ Really liked the family pics taken at Shasta Dam...we've taken the dam tour before and wow, isn't that something!
I'd love to see some coverage of the orchard and farming guys so we can understand how the higher water flow is so harmful to them.
many thanks Juan, best coverage out there!!!!
another excellent job of reporting Juan keep up the good work.
In regards to your comment on "All dams leak" I suggest you research a geotechnical failure mode called a "Piping Failure". It is very very dangerous and can lead to a complete dam breach. It could be a simple seep or it could be a major issue. The lack of information about monitoring is very concerning.
Another great report. Thanks, Juan.
Wonderful report Juan !
Juan, excellent video as always. If I might, I'd offer a slight technical clarification. In the beginning of the video, the lady DWR engineering manager slightly mis-spoke regarding "RCC." RCC is the acronym for roller-compacted concrete, not reinforced concrete. Roller-compacted concrete is a technique often used in dam construction in which cement, sand, and aggregate are mixed, spread and placed in lifts prior to adding water in much the same way earthfill is placed and compacted. Water is added during or after the compaction process, which is done with rollers. The addition of water causes the dry concrete to set up and achieve its strength over time, like regular pre-mixed wet concrete. The advantage of RCC is that it can be constructed in place with very steep slopes, which is not possible with compacted earth fill, and will achieve compressive strength much greater than earth fill. (I know this from being an engineering geologist who has worked on dams in SoCal, but never at Oroville). You're providing a great service. Thanks and all the best.
Thank you. Your reporting is very easy to understand.
Another great report. Looking forward to the reports once the spillway construction begins.
Excellent. Love following you from upstate NY
excellent work, thank you for work and time spent on this.
Outstanding. Keep it up please, best source for info on Oroville.
I have been watching and listening to you for most of your videos and I enjoy your professionalism. I don't live California so I am not interested in the local politics. I hope you stay focused on the facts and the overall problem and possible solutions you have done a very good job on the dam and setting through 5 hour meeting is very impressive. I don't know if I understand the farmers concerns and I would like to know what they want the see happen. Thank You for you good work
Nice job Juan... Thanks for the detailed report!
More super reporting Juan - thank you.
Another great informational video. May I suggest to those who do not live in that area of a google earth explanation of all the major areas that you cover, including the dam, power plant, damaged spillway, emergency spillway and the river heading away from it. You spoke of farmers downstream suffering so you may want to include that in that video. Keep up the great work cause we don't trust government officials to tell us the whole story.
see earlier updates...
Thank you very much for the hard 🎥🎥📸📽 work you do 😊 keep us up dated well done 👍🏻
Sole source of information, updates and clarity. Juan is the personality type that should be vetted by our agencies as top agency managers. Juan represents ethics and civics in public service reflecting the health and safety of population and environment. Juan, your investigations and updates are critical to knowledge that we who live outside this area but are directly affected by ancillary impacts, This means folks even outside of California who will be moving federal funds for the disaster recovery, and they don't even live in this state or utilize the water resource. The managers in DWR must be removed from their positions and held accountable. They should not be moved to another department or agency to migrate their form of hubris. Replace these failed managers with accountable managers who have GUTS to do the right thing when required. Thank you for your legacy work, an informed public is a safe and secure public.
thanks juan for your reporting...I live in yuba city...planning to attend the DWR meeting here in May.
I enjoy your videos Juan, thanks for the great indepth updates. Take care, from Tennessee.
Thank you Juan. I hope you can find time in the next month or two, to get down stream and give us a better look at that area. On how this is affecting the local farmers, who have said at the meeting, as you pointed out. That this relief rate is too high.
J Michael Harty, Kearns and West. Glad the audience stood up to him, great choice for building trust.
Best. Reporting. Yet. Living in the upper Feather River watershed, we've had initiatives going on for decades to restore the high valleys so that they hold more water for longer periods of time, releasing the water more slowly over the summer. Many of the larger valleys were converted to cattle ranching and all the water channelized, but the economy is changing and there's residential development pressure up and down the Sierra so land use is likely to continue changing. There's virtually no acknowledgment or support for this restoration work outside the small mountain communities that support it...if you're interested I can introduce you to some folks who do this kind of work here in Plumas County. Ultimately we as a state need to work on all the upstream and downstream elements of this super complex system and bring a lot more awareness and transparency to how decisions are made.
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Thanks for the coverage and updates, Juan. Such a sensible fellow in California. And, glad to hear there are other sensible people in northern CA. Could not tell it by national news. We just see San Francisco, Jerry Brown, Pelosi and people who love fish more than other humans. I'm out in Ohio in flyover country, so give a wave next time you fly over.
Almost forgot - Berkeley.
I was on the lake in my kayak paddling past Kelly Point on the morning of 2/12 when the lake was record breaking full. Yeah, that infiniti pool was pretty awesome in the distance!
Don't know you but watch all your videos. So great.
Another great update , your doing great job keeping us updated
The Juan Browne Report. Truth all the way and sounds like the big boys are getting some heat. GOOD!
A complete DWR audit is in order...or should be.
Would it be possible for you to show us pictures of the farms and orchards downstream? I'm a Hydraulic Engineer from South Dakota and have never been to California, so it would be nice to see what you are talking about. Thanks for keeping us informed. Your videos have been great.
Excellent reporting. Anthony from Inglewood, California.