DISASTER China's Three Gorge Dam in Danger

[HighStrung]

7:47 am --- Dawn at Three Gorges--

can someone tell me what's up with the water coming down that "chute" thing on the left? (circled)

I've never noticed that before, but maybe it was because my attention was always on the floodgates, not above them, and maybe they only show in the morning (eastern) light--

If you run the video back to the timestamp below (Three Gorges Dam Stream (side angle)) you'll see water cascade down that "chute" thing several times.

View attachment 210957

I noticed water in the same place a couple of times this morning around 10am est (though I was watching video from an hour or so before that), but I could never get the video scrolled to the same time on my phone to see it again to screenshot. Saw several quick sprays of water, 10-15 seconds between sprays, then didn't see it anymore.

 

[Warm Wisconsin]

Three Gorges Dam Monitoring

Looking at the data the level is going up about 1 meter every 10-12 hours with this peak inflow of 60,000 cubic meter a second. That will allow this peak inflow to last 7-8 days without increasing outflow before we hit 178 meters. They could increase the outflow again and stretch out this at least another 7-12 days.

 

[Countrymouse]

I noticed water in the same place a couple of times this morning around 10am est (though I was watching video from an hour or so before that), but I could never get the video scrolled to the same time on my phone to see it again to screenshot. Saw several quick sprays of water, 10-15 seconds between sprays, then didn't see it anymore.

I tried scrolling back to catch it, since it did several MORE "splashes" after the one I caught---but today the live stream is not allowing me to scroll back to an earlier time stamp.

Here's the link I'm using:

Three Gorges Dam Stream (side angle)

 

[Countrymouse]

Three Gorges Dam Monitoring

Looking at the data the level is going up about 1 meter every 10-12 hours with this peak inflow of 60,000 cubic meter a second. That will allow this peak inflow to last 7-8 days without increasing outflow before we hit 178 meters. They could increase the outflow again and stretch out this at least another 7-12 days.

July 29 is 9th of Av this year (if that matters)

 

[Beach]

I tried scrolling back to catch it, since it did several MORE "splashes" after the one I caught---but today the live stream is not allowing me to scroll back to an earlier time stamp.

Here's the link I'm using:

Three Gorges Dam Stream (side angle)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhddcv7p2QM


This link will allow you to scroll back.

 

[Doomer Doug]

I am starting to suspect (along with others here) that the gates may no longer be operational and are either closed or open and stuck there.

I also think that if that stuff in the current live-stream is water shooting up from under the dam we really have a "Dead Dam Standing."

It's like those WW2 submarine movies where a depth charge jams the diving planes in full dive position. Weezz is heading to the bottom. ENJOY THE RIDE

 

[xtreme_right]

How weird! Carrying on like its normal to have several feet of water in their village.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1285048348139905024

View: https://twitter.com/fukushimaexpos2/status/1285048348139905024?s=21

 

[LawPoet]

How weird! Carrying on like its normal to have several feet of water in their village.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1285048348139905024

View: https://twitter.com/fukushimaexpos2/status/1285048348139905024?s=21

Awesome video. Water rushing through their homes and on the streets UP TO THEIR THIGHS and they are making food and carrying on like "This? This is normal. Come back when things are really crazy!"

We have been privileged to have lived in the greatest modern nation-state on earth. I'm humbled. We're about to learn "not to take things for granted".

 

[Squid]

7:47 am --- Dawn at Three Gorges--

can someone tell me what's up with the water coming down that "chute" thing on the left? (circled)

I've never noticed that before, but maybe it was because my attention was always on the floodgates, not above them, and maybe they only show in the morning (eastern) light--

If you run the video back to the timestamp below (Three Gorges Dam Stream (side angle)) you'll see water cascade down that "chute" thing several times.

View attachment 210957

Toilet flushing???

 

[The Snack Artist]

Awesome video. Water rushing through their homes and on the streets UP TO THEIR THIGHS and they are making food and carrying on like "This? This is normal. Come back when things are really crazy!"

We have been privileged to have lived in the greatest modern nation-state on earth. I'm humbled. We're about to learn "not to take things for granted".

Well, you wouldn't have to go far to catch a fish anyway.

 

[Quiet Man]

I'm humbled. We're about to learn "not to take things for granted".

Oh, you are so right.

 

[Quiet Man]

FYI: Inflow at TGD continues to increase, raising the reservoir water level, while outflow is slowly dropping. How long can they keep this up?

Three Gorges Dam Monitoring

 

[Warm Wisconsin]

I posted this a little earlier


Looking at the data the level is going up about 1 meter every 10-12 hours with this peak inflow of 60,000 cubic meter a second. That will allow this peak inflow to last 7-8 days without increasing outflow before we hit 178 meters. They could increase the outflow again and stretch out this at least another 7-12 days.

FYI: Inflow at TGD continues to increase, raising the reservoir water level, while outflow is slowly dropping. How long can they keep this up?

Three Gorges Dam Monitoring

View attachment 210965

 

[Quiet Man]

They could increase the outflow again and stretch out this at least another 7-12 days.

Right. But in the face of the upcoming massive storm upstream, I wonder how they will plan ahead for that (?).

 

[Doomer Doug]

Academician Zheng Shouren, expert in water conservancy and hydropower engineering, dies

http://www.bjd.com.cn/images/202007/25/5f1b8c60e4b00abaf3f1b63a.jpeg

Zheng Shouren, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor-level senior engineer, died of illness in Wuhan on July 24. Zheng Shouren has been responsible for the whole process of Wujiangdu, Gezhouba diversion, closure design, and Geheyan site design. Since 1994, he has been responsible for the design of the Three Gorges Project. He stayed at the construction site and solved many design-related technical problems in time, and contributed to the design and construction of the river closure and cofferdam of the Gezhouba Project, the excellent quality of the Geheyan Project, the power generation one year in advance, and the design and construction of the Three Gorges Project. He has successively won 17 provincial and ministerial awards including the National Science and Technology Progress Special Award, the First Prize, and the International Dam Commission Lifetime Achievement Award. Later, he donated more than 800,000 yuan in various bonuses, manuscript fees, and lecture fees to public welfare undertakings. He said: "As a water conservator, being able to participate in the Three Gorges Project is the greatest happiness. As long as the Three Gorges Project requires me for a day, I will stick to it for a day."
According to the People’s Daily, my country has lost 23 academicians in 2020!

What is the Chinese version of Arkanicide? Chinacide?

 

[Warm Wisconsin]

Right. But in the face of the upcoming massive storm upstream, I wonder how they will plan ahead for that (?).

The current inflows are from last weeks huge storm. They are only expected to last for 48-72 hours. The next huge storm is expected to be about the same. So I think they have accounted for the new storm.

Looking through historical data they normally don’t drop the level ahead of time. This time they did. I would assume to give themselves some headroom

 

[Lynx]

What is the Chinese version of Arkanicide? Chinacide?

Sinocide.

 

[Quiet Man]

on a Win 10 OS running Firefox- I do not see these artifacts. What looks like a huge concrete chunk in the photos posted, looks like a small rooster tail of white water in the Youtube vid

That's super interesting. I was wondering if other CODECs would render these differently. Some might be more resistant to data loss than others (?).

 

[Seeker22]

That's super interesting. I was wondering if other CODECs would render these differently. Some might be more resistant to data loss than others (?).

Also, click the Youtube logo in the bottom right of the video. This will open the vid in Youtube (away from TB2K). Once it gets going, click the little daisy wheel thingie at the bottom- that's Settings. You can speed up and slow down the video. Handy. Changing the speed might change what artifacts you see. Definitely Flash has a part in it. I haven't downloaded Three Gorges videos to my Hard Drive to see if artifacts show up or not. I find it comforting that those huge chunks do not show up when I watch the video.

 

[Doomer Doug]

The key heights are 165 meters, 175 meters and 181 meters, and 185 meters.

 

[Quiet Man]

I find it comforting that those huge chunks do not show up when I watch the video.

<Big Warm Smile>

 

[LawPoet]

<Big Warm Smile>

“He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stol'n,
Let him not know't and he's not robb'd at all.”
― William Shakespeare, Othello

"CCP--keeping the people happy and worry free 24/7/365!"

 

[Doc1]

There is a possibility that no one has discussed yet. Suppose the dam doesn't collapse, but is internally damaged and otherwise compromised? There could be structural cracks in the concrete, turbine damage and other damage that could compromise operation. IOW I don't necessarily see this an an either-or equation, but one of degree.

Apparently the crop damage China has already sustained is horrendous. They also have (other) massive economic damage from the flooding, aside from crop losses. Severe damage to the dam - short of collapse - would doubtlessly strain their economy further.

Best
Doc

 

[Pinecone]

At 11:46 it looks like the closed chute is reopened. It appears to me that the water is darker for a minute or so before it gains full flow. Or am I seeing things. It's hard on the tired eyeballs to watch it for too long.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhddcv7p2QM&feature=emb_logo

 

[Countrymouse]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhddcv7p2QM


This link will allow you to scroll back.

Thanks, Beach. I'll save that (you tube) link!

I did notice that, now, the "official Chinese" stream is one minute behind actual time (since my own time on EDT and the time at 3GD were lining up perfectly, exactly to the second 12 hours apart, until this morning), and the You Tube video stream is two minutes behind actual time.

Just for y'alls reference.

I had to take seven screen-shots of the odd water-draining down that "chute" or whatever it is on the left side.

I had NEVER seen water come down that before, but may have missed it.

It only happened over a matter of seconds---from 7:47:50 to 7:47:52---but there were several times water "shot" VERY rapidly down that chute-thing or whatever it was. The first picture is marked to show you where to look.

I admit it is VERY hard to SEE that water is moving down that chute in a still shot. Does anyone have the knowledge of how to "cut" a video? If so, if you could cut the video from 7:47:48 through 7:47:52, that should catch all the water-releases down that chute. There were about a half-dozen of them in all.

If anyone knows why water would be coming down in THIS area & what it means, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Countrymouse]

At 11:46 it looks like the closed chute is reopened. It appears to me that the water is darker for a minute or so before it gains full flow. Or am I seeing things. It's hard on the tired eyeballs to watch it for too long.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhddcv7p2QM&feature=emb_logo

Looks like all gates are open to me. So much for the 'slowdown'---with 4 FEET of water about to fall they need all the "space" they can get.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

Well, you wouldn't have to go far to catch a fish anyway.

Like you'd want to eat anything caught in polluted floodwaters.

 

[Pinecone]

Like you'd want to eat anything caught in polluted floodwaters.

I"m not sure there's much difference in pollution from floodwaters and the regular flow of the rivers there. They aren't exactly environmentally sensitive.

I lived in Thailand in the late 60's. They drank the water, brushed their teeth, washed clothes and bodies, pooped and peed in, fished in and lived on the klongs (canals) in their houseboats in Bangkok. On the Mekong, dead bodies occasionally washed down the river, where people also fished, washed, etc.

 

[cowboy]

Judging from the power lines we have the biggest load yet behind the dam unless the heat of the day is stretching the lines, which I have never seen happen before.

CM if I am seeing the sectional view right the first gate pushes water to the top of the dam then free falls to the turbines and then out the sleuths that you are seeing.

 

[cowboy]

 

[cowboy]

 

[Melodi]

What is the Chinese version of Arkanicide? Chinacide?

Nightwolf suggested we can not discount a good man taking his life in despair, I mean think about it if your life's work had been to create what you believed to be this awesome, wonderful project that would provide electricity and do wonders for your nation; only to realize that you may have inadvertently been the cause of the largest human disaster (and potential death toll) in modern times?

I mean, they probably did execute him, but I can see Nightwolf's point and it may also be valid. My thoughts are with his family (and I hope he wasn't executed because the family often is as well).

 

[Melodi]

There is a possibility that no one has discussed yet. Suppose the dam doesn't collapse, but is internally damaged and otherwise compromised? There could be structural cracks in the concrete, turbine damage and other damage that could compromise operation. IOW I don't necessarily see this an an either-or equation, but one of degree.

Apparently the crop damage China has already sustained is horrendous. They also have (other) massive economic damage from the flooding, aside from crop losses. Severe damage to the dam - short of collapse - would doubtlessly strain their economy further.

Best
Doc

Actually I did mention this potential, probably a dozen pages back, I also suggested that such a damaged dam would be a potential nightmare White Elephant because it might not really be "fixable" and also nearly impossible to safely destroy (at least not until things were dry enough to divert the river and then the massive tasks of blowing it up).

 

[bw]

Judging from the power lines we have the biggest load yet behind the dam unless the heat of the day is stretching the lines, which I have never seen happen before.

CM if I am seeing the sectional view right the first gate pushes water to the top of the dam then free falls to the turbines and then out the sleuths that you are seeing.

Heat would make power lines sag, not tighten.

The graphic shows only the floodgates and sluices. No turbines in that image. Turbines are in a different part of the dam.

 

[IceWave]

This is NOT a section thru the Three Gorges Dam, it's merely an illustration of the water path for a hydroelectric dam.

 

[Cascadians]

They killed him and count him as a CCP death.

 

[psychgirl]

This thing still standing ? Amazing.

 

[cowboy]

Heat would make power lines sag, not tighten.

The graphic shows only the floodgates and sluices. No turbines in that image. Turbines are in a different part of the dam.

Sag would be a better word for stretch, I am more inclined to think that it is more pressure on the upriver side that is causing the sag in the lines.

Then maybe you can tell me what all the other parts is for in the sectional view, as in two gates the pipes going up thru the dam. It looks like a filtering system to me and it is all feeding something. And it is where the power lines seem to connect to the dam.

 

[bw]

Then maybe you can tell me what all the other parts is for in the sectional view, as in two gates the pipes going up thru the dam. It looks like a filtering system to me and it is all feeding something. And it is where the power lines seem to connect to the dam.

What you call pipes are probably the channels for the cables that raise/lower the gates. Look at the size of the water channels going left to right. Anything with a significantly smaller diameter isn't going to be for water flow, but for controls/sensors/cables.

 

[ShadowMan]