PSA interesting trip to BS Dam this week

[netboy]

I took the boat up to the C&R area below the dam Wednesday. They were running 5 generators, and I anchored quite a way down from the dam. Them about 9am I heard a bunch of rumbling and noticed my anchor wasn't holding. I looked back and saw a wall of water coming from under the spill gates. The water was blowing up a couple of feet under the center spill gate.  I pulled the anchor and idled over to the Marion County side of the river. That went on for about 15 minutes with lots of trash in the water. No horn or any other notice. The river came up 2 feet in a couple of minutes.  After 15 minutes, the gushing stopped, and the water started to recede. I thought it was over, so I anchored closer to the Marion County side and then about 15 minutes later... here it comes again on the Marion County side of the river. More trash and another wall of water. I pulled the anchor and left.

After doing some research, I found out there are conduits that run under the dam, and I guess they were testing the valves and cleaning out the passages.

You would think they would blow the horn when they do that. If I was wading, I would have been swimming. A 2-foot rise in a couple minutes would sweep you away if you are already waist deep.

So just be careful wading as the Corp of Engineers apparently aren't too concerned about your safety.

[Dutch]

I’m sure you are right about that.  I think I would have a chat with the project manager concerning that issue.

[tjm]

Probably required to give warnings for generation, but not required to for maintenance, just following SOP.  I never feel safe when wading a tailwater and don't like to get many steps from the bank, Even if they sound a warning the water can come up faster than I can wade out. 

[Greasy B]

In light of the recent river  tragedies you’d think they’d be sensitive to safety, nope. 

[echo]

One would think  that at wading cfs they would refrain from doing this sort of 

bump surge, however" to think", has never been a priority concerning 

wading fly fisherman downstream.. Norfork river dam will open up for  a hour or more 

unscheduled torrents  of water leaving Ackerman waders to

fed for themselves. Like Texas, a horn system should be set up spaced down river every mile or so  to warn us.

 The Guadalupe River disaster would have been prevented.

  

[tjm]

It probably takes death (or several) directly attributed to the dam or it's management to cause any change in operation.  

I would agree that horns should extend several miles down river and I also think that the horns could be wired so that a time delay between horn blast and any release of water is automatic. No horn,  the mechanisms controlling  gates, generation  etc won't work., But I don't expect such to ever happen. 

[DADAKOTA]

Have run into no warning on the Sac below Stockton.  Our float moved along quickly with a scramble to get out at J-Bridge.  Not fun.

[gotmuddy]

Thats wild...and could be very dangerous.