The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Friday, April 22, 2022
Sludge!
The video is self-explanatory.
I wonder how many years it took for all that silt to accumulate? It sure was reluctant to move.
Many surf spots in California are seriously degraded because no silt comes down the river and builds up the banks, it's all stuck behind dams. Not sure why they don't pump it out once a year. More space for water, more silt deposit good for farmers and surfers, etc.
I'm sure that silt load won't affect the fish downstream of the dam (sarcasm off). Depending on the dam construction, location, height, etc, purging/dredging silt from the bottom of the reservoir may not be possible or cost effective. then what do you do with the sludge? If you dump it downstream you kill the fish population, if you dump it on the ground, when dries out, you create airborne dust clouds, if you bury the sludge, there is additional cost as well a potential toxic addition to ground water.
What was a little alarming was the water shooting up from the cracks around the deck plates at the very end of the video. Not sure I'd want to be standing right there, but hey, evidently the camera operator survived.
The floodgate in the local century-old dam hadn't bee opened in quite a while either. Time came to do so because the lake was overfilling due to heavy rains. A a tree trunk got sucked into the gate and jammed the it open. The resulting torrent headed downstream and inundated our town! H-H-H-OOOPS!!!
Sand migrates north to south along the California coast. So, not only are beaches affected because rivers don't replenish the sand, structures along the coast that affect the migration also harm the beaches. An easy example is the breakwater for Oceanside harbor. North of the breakwater the beaches on Camp Pendleton are are wide and beautiful. South of the harbor the beaches are skinny and malnourished. The breakwater redirects the sand migration out to sea where much of it is lost.
You'd think that would be a yearly maintenance thing....
ReplyDeleteMany surf spots in California are seriously degraded because no silt comes down the river and builds up the banks, it's all stuck behind dams. Not sure why they don't pump it out once a year. More space for water, more silt deposit good for farmers and surfers, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that silt load won't affect the fish downstream of the dam (sarcasm off). Depending on the dam construction, location, height, etc, purging/dredging silt from the bottom of the reservoir may not be possible or cost effective. then what do you do with the sludge? If you dump it downstream you kill the fish population, if you dump it on the ground, when dries out, you create airborne dust clouds, if you bury the sludge, there is additional cost as well a potential toxic addition to ground water.
ReplyDeleteThat's not unlike what happens to my bowels on a Monday after a weekend of 'celebrating' and spicy food.
ReplyDeleteSomeone had to say it. Glad I made it first.
ReplyDeleteThat was something to see!
ReplyDeleteWhat was a little alarming was the water shooting up from the cracks around the deck plates at the very end of the video. Not sure I'd want to be standing right there, but hey, evidently the camera operator survived.
ReplyDeleteThe floodgate in the local century-old dam hadn't bee opened in quite a while either. Time came to do so because the lake was overfilling due to heavy rains. A a tree trunk got sucked into the gate and jammed the it open. The resulting torrent headed downstream and inundated our town! H-H-H-OOOPS!!!
ReplyDeleteSand migrates north to south along the California coast. So, not only are beaches affected because rivers don't replenish the sand, structures along the coast that affect the migration also harm the beaches.
ReplyDeleteAn easy example is the breakwater for Oceanside harbor. North of the breakwater the beaches on Camp Pendleton are are wide and beautiful. South of the harbor the beaches are skinny and malnourished.
The breakwater redirects the sand migration out to sea where much of it is lost.
TechieDude, you beat me to it. Reminds me of the day after eating at Taco Hell.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that the water was actually able to move that much silt!
ReplyDeleteI've done oil changes that looked like that.
ReplyDelete