This is why I don't live downstream from a dam

[CamoDeafie]

Albany is right on Willamette; although it should be OK in flood events; its the earthquakes thats a bigger worry. If the dams break up at Green Peter and Foster Lake; then that is a whole lot of water surging down the Santiam River forks towards the Willamette

Edit also the Detroit dam; but think that heads towards Stayton?

 

[The Heretic]

Very likely not. The last dam on the Columbia is Bonneville. The water behind Bonneville would just run to the ocean (no impoundment downstream).
If there were a dam below you, then you would be in trouble cuz they likely couldn't draw down the lake behind it fast enough to prevent overtopping.
There would have to be a whole helluva lot of dam breaks behind Bonneville to endanger you, like, just about all of them would need to fail in succession.
Very unlikely...

There would be a wave and the river level would rise somewhat - I've seen both when there was a release on an upper dam, but yes, the water would eventually just run to the ocean and rise less because it would not be contained as much as if there was a dam below Bonneville, but still, there would be a rise in the level. It would just depends on how fast and how much water would flow. The Columbia is pretty wide from Tri-Cities downstream.

I am not an expert in water flow dynamics (that was my father's domain) so I can't say for sure - just my personal observations.

 

[cookie]

Lots of dams left over from the New Deal era, since we are in a depressed economy and our infrastructure is falling apart and millions are unemployed, maybe it's time for another round of works projects. It would make a ton more sense then printing money like a third world country as we are currently doing. Plus people would learn construction skills, quite a few big construction companies got started from the knowledge and connections made under the New Deal.

We don't have the money. Korea , Vietnam , decades in the middle east and Afghanistan with the Africas's adventures costing trillions upon trillions of dollars and returning no profit to the taxpayers nor victory to the brave people who were in those conflicts.

 

[sobo]

In my brief research, it sounds like Bonnivilles gateways are in bad shape, and would not be able to release enough water to deal with a 500 year event.

Does that change things, if Bonniville outright fails due to flooding upstream?

Not in my estimation. There's better than 35 river-miles between Bonneville and Vancouver that would "eat up" that water and spread it out. Plus, as mentioned before, there is nothing to create an impoundment downstream of Bonneville, so the flow won't back up. It'll just run straight to the ocean. You'll see a little bit of a rise in river level in the 'Couv, but nothing that should concern you. I would expect that it would be rather similar to the tide change at Deception Pass.
It would be cool to catch the lead wave, though...

 

[CamoDeafie]

Detroit Dam is classified as a high hazard potential if the dam breaks

 

[The Heretic]

Lots of dams left over from the New Deal era, since we are in a depressed economy and our infrastructure is falling apart and millions are unemployed, maybe it's time for another round of works projects. It would make a ton more sense then printing money like a third world country as we are currently doing. Plus people would learn construction skills, quite a few big construction companies got started from the knowledge and connections made under the New Deal.

There is a difference between then and now.

A LOT fewer people willing to do that kind of work, a LOT more people would just sit it out or find a different job, a LOT more corps that would run out the project for decades on a 'cost plus' bid with cost overruns in the billions, and a LOT of people who would sue the BPA/COE/etc. because they think the dams should be destroyed to restore the salmon runs, and a LOT of politicians that would have their hand out (but behind their back) to get their kickbacks.

Just to name a few.

I am not against infrastructure maintenance and upgrades - all for it - but it needs to be carefully administered and planned. We have bridges and roads and railroads and other infrastructure that should be funded too. That would take time, but I don't see any pols saying anything about that - including the POTUS who promised infrastructure funding/plans.

 

[Provincial]

I wouldn't want to test out the effectiveness of the Marine Drive levee in a dam failure or even 100 year flood event. PDX and that whole industrial/commercial area could do a repeat of Vanport!

 

[cookie]

Probably no reason to mention here that according to all the "news" channels in Oregon....we are in a drought. Maybe even a "mega-drought".

Been in a drought for decades 2007 or 8 I was at Boy Scout Summer Camp and a Forested a real scientist did a bore hole in a tree and we counted the rings and he explained the ring sized and told us we were in an over 300 yer drought cycle. Tht being said the the the uninformed ,,if not for the "global warming" we would still be in an ice age but then west of I 5 will be toast so what ever.

 

[ma96782]

I learned that as an adult - especially up near Seattle where there were a lot of people flooded every single friggin year.

Speaking of annual events.....

I can remember that my GF would tell me stories of when she grew up in VN (in the old days). She said that during the monsoon season the water would rise and flood the first floor of her home. Snakes, fish and other creatures could be seen floating and swimming around in the livingroom.

Wow.

But, I was thinking.....OMG?!?! What about the dirty water quality and poop.

Aloha, Mark.