Flash Flood Warning Issued Earlier By National Weather Service Owing To Cracks In Twain Harte Dam Is Retracted. Is The Dam Safe?
Tuolumne County just experienced fear as local safety officials issued a flash flood warning. However, the flash flood warning lasted less than a day and things are back to normal.
On an clear Sunday morning, residents of Tuolumne County were issued a flash flood warning. Apparently, the operator of the Twain Harte Dam reported seeing water flowing through cracks and hearing loud booms near the reservoir. Fearing the worst, the operator radioed the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, who instructed the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a flash flood warning.
The operator of Twain Harte Dam had reported large cracks being observed in the dam Sunday at 10:45 a.m. with water gushing through them, reported the National Weather Service. The NWS had been warning people who live downstream of the dam, including the communities of Sullivan Creek, Belleview and nearby areas, of the possibility of a flash flood if the dam failed. Cautionary steps included avoiding the site and moving to a higher ground in case the dam suffers structural damage.
The Twain Harte Lake isn’t a natural phenomenon. It is privately owned by the Twain Harte Lake Association and is a man-made lake built in the late 1920s. It has an interesting history. But on the Sunday morning, a loud boom was heard at around 10:45 a.m. and water was found leaking from a crack near the top of the dam. There was also a long crack discovered in an adjacent large granite rock, situated at the southern end of the dam. This triggered the flash flood warning.
However, officials were quick to release the water to avert a major disaster. As a precaution, officials opened the drain valves releasing 2,000 gallons of water per minute from the lake, reported My Mother Lode. The depth of the artificial lake will be dropped by 10 feet in two days, but so far no further damage has been observed or reported. This has caused the cancellation of the flash flood warning.
Twain Hart dam level being reduced by 10 feet. No threat of dam failure. Officials will assess and repair as needed.
— San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services (@SJC_OES) August 3, 2014
Nonetheless, the Sheriff’s office has officially shut-down the site for an indefinite duration. Safety officials have been inspecting the dam, confirmed Tuolumne County Sheriff Jim Mele,
“At this point, we don’t see any imminent structure failure, or dam breakage.”
Incidentally, the lake water isn’t used for any construction or other purposes and just serves to add to the scenic beauty. Under normal circumstances the lake is just 20-25 feet deep. The latest tweet from the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services will surely bring a collective sigh of relief among the citizens who were anxious about the flash flood warning.
[Image Credit |Twain Harte Chamber of Commerce, Fox40]
