WELL …THERE ARE ‘PLENTY’ OF CAREERS TO CHOOSE FROM - AND IF YOU’RE INTO WEARING WORK BOOTS OR JUST REALLY LIKE ENGINEERING AND MATH – YOU MIGHT
WANT TO GET INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE BASIC BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS NEEDED TO KEEP A CITY OR COUNTRY MOVING. IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE ROADS, POWER
PLANTS, AND DAMS. WHILE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE AS TINY AS A LAMP POST… IT CAN ALSO BE AS BIG AS THE ORVILLE DAM SPILLWAY, WHERE CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY. THIS IS THE TALLEST DAM IN THE US AT 770 FEET, AND IT KEEPS THE WATER IN LAKE ORVILLE IN PLACE, SO PEOPLE HAVE PLENTY TO DRINK IN THE HOT STATE OF CALIFORNIA. BIG
DAMS LIKE THIS ONE HAVE SPECIAL SPILLWAYS THAT ACT LIKE DRAINS… TO LET OUT WATER WHEN THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH OF IT.
JOE: ERIN MELLON WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES SAYS THEY ARE ON TARGET FOR THEIR NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE BUT IT'S GOING TO BE COSTLY.
THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS BACK IN FEBRUARY FOLLOWING THE MASS EVACUATION $275 MILLION. JUST THIS WEEK D-W-R SAYS THE REAL FIGURE IS
CLOSER TO $500 MILLION, IF NOT MORE.
ERIN MELLON, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES: WE KNEW THEN AND HAVE KNOWN SINCE THAT THAT FIGURE WAS GOING TO INCREASE, BECAUSE ONCE YOU
ACTUALLY, AS A CONTRACTOR GET ON SITE AND SEE HOW MUCH WORK YOU HAVE TO DO, THERE ARE CHANGE ORDERS.
JOE: FOR THE EXTRA 225 MILLION MELLON SAYS THE DAM GETS STRONGER. CONCRETE SLABS 5 FEET THICK LINE THE NEW SPILLWAY FLOOR. THE OLD
SPILLWAY'S CONCRETE WAS JUST 18 INCHES THICK. AND IF THE FORTIFIED NEW SPILLWAY PREVENTS ANOTHER MASS EVACUATION OR
POTENTIAL FLOODING DISASTERS, PEOPLE LIVING IN OROVILLE SAY IT'S WORTH THE INVESTMENT.
CLARE RABBIOSI, OROVILLE RESIDENT: IF THEY'RE GONNA DO IT AND DO IT RIGHT, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY.
JUDY LOSETH, FORMER EVACUEE: THEY SHOULD DO WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO DO TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE HERE, AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
JOE: PEOPLE WE SPOKE WITH WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE PROGRESS CREWS HAVE MADE SO QUICKLY. HOPING THOSE EFFORTS WILL PERMANENTLY PROTECT THEIR
HOMES AND THEIR LIVES.
RICK: THANKS JOE. OHIO HAS A LOT OF DAMS TOO, AND YOU CAN FIND OUT WHICH ONES ARE NEAR YOU BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BENEATH THIS STORY ON OUR
WEBSITE.
Find Out More
Diagram, Mercury News, Repairing the Oroville Dam | Shows how spillway repairs will work.
Website Article: KPCC Environment and Science, 10 Things Southern Californians Should Know About The Oroville Dam Crisis | Explains dam, spillway and what may happen.
Encyclopedia Article: Encyclopedia Britannica, Spillway Engineering