"Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

[Commonground]

Re: CHINA - 8.0 earthquake near Chengdu, Sichuan Province

Re: CHINA - 8.0 earthquake near Chengdu, Sichuan Province

Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharged Pai Hung flow increased risk of a major turning point
(Boxun - June 10, 2008 reprint)

Source: Xinhuanet
Mianyang, Sichuan Province June 9 (Xinhua Yaorun Feng, Wu Hao) Tang Shan Yan Sehu flood risk work on the 9th ranked a major turning point. At present discharge pipes discharge severe erosion, increase the flow discharged, experts estimate the volume of water will soon be greater than the volume of water, the water level Yanse Hu will then begin to decline. (Boxun.com)
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Monitoring, since at 7:08 on June 7 Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge pipes since the beginning of the discharge, flow more rapidly, from the beginning to 1 cubic meters per second at 10:00 on the 9th of 48.4 cubic meters per Second, ending at 18:00 on the 9th, to further increase the flow to 81 cubic meters per second.

On the 9th morning, Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei, and Sichuan Governor Jiang Jufeng, such as the People's Liberation Army Deputy Chief of Staff Ge Zhenfeng factual survey of the Tang Shan Yan Sehu dam discharge, to understand the progress of rescue work, and held the crest Xian Changhui meetings. Meeting, Tang Shan Yan Sehu risk-elimination work has reached a critical juncture, can not relax at all, we should further implement the various rescue and safe measures to strengthen the monitoring, forecasting and early warning, the lower reaches of the masses and do a good job of safety and security of staff working. At the same time, requires increased discharge capacity of the nullah discharged, and strive to remove floating-to ensure that the discharge effect on the dam as soon as possible drilling, to shed further light on geological structure of the dam.

According to the Office of flood and drought control headquarters, deputy director Zhang Zhitong, executive, the site survey showed that the discharge of drainage under severe erosion. Brush broaden the discharge pipes are deep, produced a significant source scouring effect, was impeding the flow discharged boulder and rock of the impact of water flow in the high-speed, all-open, showing a good discharge scouring effect of the discharge pipes Have been scouring the bottom-up over 100 meters, the deepest cut under a more than 10 meters.

Zhang Zhitong said that at present, the rate of discharge significantly speeding up the erosion of clearly strengthened, discharged flow increased noticeably. Expect further erosion of the upstream extension of further erosion depth of cutting, further discharge pipes-wide, the lake will be the future of the excavation along the discharge channel discharged.

As at 20:00 on the 9th, Tang Shan Yan Sehu upstream water level rose to 742.96 meters, representing at 8:00 on the 9th rose 0.38 m, corresponding water storage capacity of 248.6 million cubic meters. _ (Net reproduced) (Boxun.com)

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?h....com/news/gb/china/2008/06/200806100116.shtml

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: China quake

Re: China quake

. . . Those are some of the scariest pictures you'll ever see. It looks like they got the construction crew out in time, but probably lost all the equipment.

Sequence of acceleration of downcutting.

View attachment 2505

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: China quake

Re: China quake

Ravaged China town flooded as quake lake drains

Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:57am BST

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By Chris Buckley
BEICHUAN (Reuters) - Muddy lake water from a dangerously unstable "quake lake" rushed into the devastated Chinese town of Beichuan on Tuesday, covering about a third of the settlement where the water level was rising fast.
Brown water, clumps of trees and occasional vehicles pushing against buildings were moving quickly into low-lying areas of the town, washing away remains of buildings, bodies and valuables left under the rubble.
The water level at the Tangjiashan quake lake formed by China's most devastating earthquake in decades dropped by nearly two meters (seven ft) in one hour on Tuesday, after soldiers used explosives to widen a sluice, Xinhua news agency said.
The Tangjiashan lake, the largest of the more than 30 created when landslides blocked the flow of rivers, has forced the evacuation of more than 250,000 residents downstream in case the unstable dam of mud and rocks bursts.
Helicopters were evacuating remaining soldiers and experts on top of the dam, which was no longer safe because of the accelerating flow of water, Xinhua said.
Beichuan was so thoroughly ravaged that authorities sealed it off after the tremor.
The flooding brought more heartache to people displaced by the May 12 earthquake in which nearly 87,000 people either died or are missing. Many said goods and cash inside their homes were lost for good.
"It began flooding early this morning," said shop assistant Zhu Yunhui, 37, who said she had kept many tens of thousands of yuan in her home. "Now we can never go back. This is heartbreaking."
Wang Guiru, 43, whose wife died in the quake alongside his father and mother-in-law, said he had hoped to look for their remains.
"Now I guess we can never go back," he said stoically. "This is fate. We have to learn to face up to realities."
(Additional reporting Guo Shipeng; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by David Fogarty)

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

China quake torrent crashes downstream

Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:44am BST
By Chris Buckley
JIANGYOU, China (Reuters) - Muddy lake water from a dangerously unstable "quake lake" rushed through the devastated Chinese town of Beichuan on Tuesday and quickly turned into a torrent, after soldiers used explosives to blow away rubble.


Brown water, clumps of trees and occasional vehicles swamped low-lying areas of the town, washing away remains of corpses, family mementoes and valuables left under the rubble.


Wang Guiru, 43, whose wife died in the quake alongside his father and mother-in-law, said he had hoped eventually to look for their remains.
"Now I guess we can never go back," he said stoically. "This is fate. We have to learn to face up to realities."


Further downstream near Mianyang, the river had turned into a torrent several hundred metres across, bursting banks in places.
"I never thought it would rise so quickly," said Fu Anyun, who stood watching with her extended family of about 12 in a ridge above the river.
"We've been waiting and waiting, but when it finally came it was still a shock. Now all we can do is watch and see if our homes our flooded or not."


The water level at the Tangjiashan quake lake, formed by China's most devastating earthquake in decades, dropped by 13 metres (43 ft) on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency said.


The Tangjiashan lake, the largest of the more than 30 created when landslides triggered by the quake blocked the flow of rivers, has so far prompted the evacuation of more than 250,000 residents downstream in case the mud-and-rock dam bursts.


SOLDIERS EVACUATED
Helicopters were evacuating remaining soldiers and experts from the top of the dam, which was no longer safe with cracks appearing as the flow of water accelerated by more than tenfold, Xinhua said.
It attributed the abrupt increase in water discharged from the lake to "two massive blasts on Monday evening which broke through the bottleneck" in a sluice opened by soldiers.


The torrents had further widened and lowered the sluice, Xinhua said.
"The flow downstream has increased dramatically, but the dam hasn't collapsed," Zhou Hua, spokesman for the lake relief operation, told Reuters. "The channel has widened but this isn't a collapse.


"... So far everything is happening within expectations. As things are, we don't expect to have to evacuate any more."


Rescuers found a relief helicopter, carrying 19 quake survivors, medical workers and crew, that crashed near the epicentre of the quake on May 31. There were no survivors.


Mianyang hosts tens of thousands of quake refugees from Beichuan, where more than 15,000 people died in the May 12 tremor. Road blocks kept traffic away from nearby Jiangyou, but it was not clear if the whole town was cut off.


The flooding brought more heartache to people displaced by the earthquake in which nearly 87,000 people either died or are missing. Many said valuables were now lost for good.


"It began flooding early this morning," said shop assistant Zhu Yunhui, 37, who lost loved ones in the quake and said she had kept many tens of thousands of yuan in her home. "Now we can never go back. This is heartbreaking."


(Additional reporting Guo S
hipeng; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Alex Richardson)



http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKGOR02374420080610?sp=true

 

[JJackson]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

This is where the dam used to be.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

City issues flood alert as quake lake drains

By Yang Jian | 2008-6-10 |

ONLINE EDITION

A CITY downstream of the largest quake lake in Sichuan issued the second-highest flood alert this morning as water draining from the lake was moving quicker, Xinhua news agency reported today.

An artificial sluice has allowed water to draining from Tangjiashan lake as of Saturday, however, the flow of water increased this morning.

Mianyang City issued the orange alert at 10:55am today. If the alert is upgraded to red, all 600,000 residents would be ordered to evacuate, the report said.

The outflow of the lake has reached 9,780 cubic meters per second through the sluice channel as of noon, exceeding the safety level, Xinhua said.

A flood peak was expected to hit Mianyang at 3pm today, Xinhua said.

Relief work headquarters said the sluice was "under control" and called on residents not to panic.

More than 30 percent of land that may flood is unoccupied, headquarters said.

The city launched traffic restrictions on the Mianyang-Jiangyou Highway. Only vehicles from relief headquarters would be allowed to use the expressway, Xinhua said.

The city has begun to use reserve water supplies while the power supply was normal.

A Xinhua report said residents were rather calm.

An evacuation route has been planned. Relief headquarters said three evacuation maneuvers had been launched in the city. All residents can be evacuated to safe places within one hour, it said.

The water level was increasing in the city's river.

The water level of Tangjiashan lake dropped to 727.94 meters above sea level as of 2pm today, 21 meters lower than 10am today, the report said.

The lake would be safe if the level dropped to 720 meters. The level was expected to drop to the safe level at 3pm, Xinhua said.

Some landslides sparked by the drainage occurred along the channel, a CCTV report said. Another Xinhua report said "some cracks have appeared on the dam" because of the rapid water flow.

Landslides pose another threat, the CCTV report said, citing an official from relief headquarters.

All soldiers and engineers evacuated the area via helicopter as of 2pm. Only several observers remained at the lake area, Xinhua said.

The Tangjiashan Lake was formed when a landslide set off by the massive May 12 earthquake blocked the flow of the Tongkou River in Mianyang City in quake-hit Sichuan Province. The lake was holding 248.6 million cubic meters of water.

If the unstable dam gives way it will create a flood that could threaten many people already forced from their homes.

More than 250,000 have been evacuated as a precaution.

The Information Office of the State Council said the death toll from the May 12 earthquake rose slightly to 69,142 as of noon yesterday, with 17,551 others missing. More than 374,000 people were injured.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=362672&type=National&page=2

 

[JJackson]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

Yesterday I wrote something I hoped would explain what was about to happen and things are obviously moving on apace. The aim was always to build the spillway have the overflow increase until it exceeded the flow into the lake and in so doing begin lowering the lake level. Best case scenario: steady flow at a few times the inflow rate with the channel gradually cutting down through the dam. This option means the flow down stream is never greater then you would get after heavy rains with little or no flooding. The inflow has been around 115cms and at the time of posting yesterday the outflow had reached 50cms and was rising as the channel eroded and the lake rose. Obviously there has been a fairly major failure of parts of the dam as this flow peaked at 12,000cms ? about 100 times the normal flow rate ? and has settled back to about half that. I have not been able to find out how long the maximum flow was sustained but the Chinese authorities are being very laidback with it only making the 2nd item on the news (behind the finding of the wreckage of the missing rescue helicopter). The river further down stream is fairly empty (the dam having collected all its water) so will actually act like a flood plane which should help smooth the effects. Some of the smaller dams down stream have been overtopped but I have seen nothing yet on the reservoirs and dams around Mianyang.

The Photos show the lake pouring through the dam gorge, the dried up river bed (I suspect these boats are now rather further down stream) and the area around the Mianyang which is the first large city down stream.

 

[gsgs]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

I don't want to read all the details...

your estimates of the damage of a worst case scenario and
average/expected case scenario in % of the total earthquake damage ?

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

Flood from main quake lake passes Mianyang City safely

<!--prefix_sub_header-->

Source: Xinhua | 06-10-2008 17:15

http://www.cctv.com/english/special/earthquake/index.shtml MIANYANG, Sichuan, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The crest of the flood from China's main Tangjiashan "quake lake" passed safely by downstream Mianyang City, Xinhua reporters witnessed on Tuesday afternoon.
There were between 300,000 and 400,000 people left in the city when the crest passed, said Tan Li, the city's Communist Party chief and also its Quake Control and Relief Headquarters head.
More than 250,000 people in low-lying areas had been relocated under a plan based on the assumption that one-third of the lake volume breached the dam.


http://www.cctv.com/english/20080610/108173.shtml

 

[JJackson]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

gsgs
I do not think it is going to be too bad the level is obviously dropping fast, Bechuian was a rightoff anyway and had been evacuated and the collapse has cut a wide but not catastrophic channel which is dumping the water at a manageable rate. My guess some flooding but no large scale loss of life - could have been better but could have been a lot worse.

 

[mixin]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

It will probably be a long time before anyone sees a true estimate.

At least 2 towns are submerged and Beichuan is pretty much destroyed. It may be too early to estimate the cost of replacement. Damage is still being done. I saw pictures of a reservoir that is now showing its bottom.

The trickle-down damage will likely be huge.

 

[Commonground]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

I don't want to read all the details...

your estimates of the damage of a worst case scenario and
average/expected case scenario in % of the total earthquake damage ?

gsgs....we had a song out by the Rolling Stones. And part of the verse was this:
"You can't always get what you want"
"But if you try sometimes
you might find
you get what you need"

You may have to read all the details to get your answers.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

China's quake lake pours into abandoned town

The Chinese military has successfully reduced the water level in a lake formed by last months' earthquake by channelling it into an abandoned town.

Troops used explosives to divert water from Lake Tangjiashan down into the decimated town of Beichuan.

The town was destroyed by the May 12th earthquake, leading to authorities evacuating and sealing it off.

The lake was formed when a landslide caused by the earthquake blocked a river.

More than 250,000 residents downstream have been evacuated after officials grew increasingly worried that the lake would burst its banks.

There are more than 30 'quake lakes' that have been formed by the earthquake which has left almost 87,000 people dead or missing.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/international-affairs/chinas-quake-lake-pours-into-abandoned-town-$1226696.htm

 

[gsgs]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

maybe rate this thread as non-important then in the subject line
so people needn't open it - unless they are particularly interested
in dams

with earthquakes and tornados we have a scale, make a scale
for dams-risks ! A better scale would be estimated damage.

I'm always bothered by this flood of news and no good
hints what to read first.
The thickness of headlines in the newspapers and articles is
no good guide.


"Rolling Stones" have no expertise

 

[Commonground]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

[This post contains 2 articles]

Tang Shan Yan Sehu flood the North-orange launch plans for Mianyang
At 14:40 on June 10, 2008
Yan Sehu flood the North-orange launch plans for Mianyang

-- Mianyang, after several days of efforts, Tang Shan Yan Sehu upstream from the water level at 1:30 on the 10th the highest water level reached 743.10 meters, gradually decreased to 9 pm, has dropped to 742.18 meters; flow discharge chutes Constantly increasing, from 1:30 of the more than 100 cubic meters / second extended to at 9:00 on the 10th of 1,210 cubic meters / second.

According to Tang Shan Yan Sehu Pai risk regimen news reporting command center, Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge chutes water potential is very Meng, the water level downstream of rapid growth. Tang Shan following the recent observation points Beichuan Hydrometric Station data, at 9:00 on the 10th of the water flow to 1,710 cubic meters / second, to 9:30 for 2,400 cubic meters that is expanding / sec. 9:55, traffic has expanded to 3,240 cubic meters / second.

Reporters from a remote video monitoring system to see the screen: Hunhuang floods from the Tang Shan Yan Sehu Bahou raging out along the "U"-shaped trough of caving in and discharge, water potential rapid and smooth. As scouring effect is very clear, we can see both sides of the slope is smaller collapses, landslides.

Observations from the screen can also see that Tang Shan Yan Sehu Rapids直下the floods have crossed the North River, arrived to-Hydropower Station. Man has been part of the river embankments.

It is still on duty in the dam hydrological observation staff report, Tang Shan Yan Sehu there dam cracking phenomenon.

http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?h...ttp://news.sohu.com/20080610/n257399487.shtml

Tang Shan Yan Sehu a flood discharge is rapid access to Mianyang City
At 14:51 on June 10, 2008
Alert: Discharge from the Tang Shan Yan Sehu formed by the floods are rapidly entering Mianyang City

-- News: Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge from the result of the floods are rapidly entering the city of Mianyang, in the BAO-CHENG RAILWAY Fujiang Bridge under the masses of onlookers are dangerous, and some people have begun to consciously leave.

http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?h...ttp://news.sohu.com/20080610/n257399782.shtml

 

[Commonground]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

Video: Aerial air overlooking the water discharged Tang Shan Yan Sehu process
Time: at 15:51 on June 10, 2008

http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?h...=http://tv.sohu.com/20080610/n257401561.shtml

 

[Commonground]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

Video: 800 soldiers Maosi make it through the "death valley" delivery of supplies
Time: at 7:14 on June 10, 2008

http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?h...=http://tv.sohu.com/20080610/n257380355.shtml

 

[Commonground]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

Tang Shan Yan Sehu the release of flood risk have been no casualties in Mianyang
At 0:09 on June 11, 2008[I Laishuiliangju]
Source: Xinhuanet
-- Mianyang, Sichuan Province June 10 (Xinhua Wang Yan, WANG Sheng Chi) Tang Shan Yan Sehu the water level upstream from at 1:30 on the 10th the highest water level reached 743.10 meters, due to increasing flow of the discharge chutes , The water level started down. Around 5:00 p.m., at the bottom of the water discharge chutes erosion, decreased to 720 to 721 meters, Yan Sehu reduce the capacity of nearly 120 million cubic meters.
Discharged by the floods smooth Mianyang, Tang Shan Yan Sehu rescue win a decisive victory.

From at 7:08 on June 7 Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge pipes since the beginning of discharge, increasing the discharge flow. On the 10th morning, Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge chutes China's largest flow of 6,500 cubic meters per second to achieve.

From 10 at 10 am, after Yanse Hu flood peak downstream of the North-county,-mouth power plants, perfume, BAO-CHENG RAILWAY Fujiang Bridge. 17:18, the flood peak passed Mianyang, the peak flow of up to 7,100 cubic meters per second.

After the flood-North China's largest flow reached 6,960 cubic meters per second. More than one in 50. 15:00 about China's Tang Shan Yan Sehu flow gradually decay, the flood peak of security after BAO-CHENG RAILWAY Fujiang Bridge, the bridge was safe.

To press time, the Beichuan County, Jiangyou County and four in Mianyang City after several verification, no casualties were reported. Create a serious danger under no casualties miracle.

Wenchuan earthquake, the north county Tang Shan Yan Sehu form a large, water storage capacity is rising gradually from the initial 30 million cubic meters, up to 70 million cubic meters, 100 million cubic meters, 200 million cubic meters, On the 10th morning to the highest value of close to 260 million cubic meters, by experts as "extremely high risk level."

As at 19:00 on the 10th, Tang Shan Yan Sehu 720.25 meters upstream water level, discharge chutes dyke breach 145 meters wide, 1.2 meters deep, the flow of 454 cubic meters per second, the capacity of 110 million cubic meters. This marks the Tang Shan Yan Sehu discharge chutes at the bottom successfully reached a height of 720 meters to expectations, serious threat to people's lives and safety of the "hanging lake" risk has been released.

State Department earthquake relief headquarters, head of water resources, Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei said that the diversion from the current situation, is the original design and expert analysis of the possibilities inside the best kind. The flow appears likely to be 720 meters elevation and stability for a period of time, we will take advantage of this time, further in-depth analysis and study and formulate next steps, and do everything possible to take effective measures as soon as possible the complete elimination of the Tang Shan Yan Sehu Hanging in Mianyang City People's head of risk.

http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?h...ttp://news.sohu.com/20080611/n257407205.shtml

 

[Oracle]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

An absolutely jaw-dropping achievement of emergency civil engineering. That was the best use of anti-tank military hardware imaginable (initial channel widening Monday night) and explosives use Monday, Tuesday and early this morning by a military engineering unit. The Chinese engineering spokesmen weren't understating the delicacy of charge placement, timing and energy release, given the highly unstable soils at the site.

Kudos to the FT team covering this story.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: "Quake Lake" Dams Risk Lives

14 people missing in landslides in China's quake-hit area


www.chinaview.cn 2008-09-24

BEICHUAN, Sichuan, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen people have gone missing in the wake of landslides triggered by heavy rain in the quake-hit Beichuan County of Sichuan Province in southwest China, a local official said on Wednesday.

Some villagers in Leigu town have also been injured, said Zuo Daifu, a county official in charge the reconstruction of Beichuan. The town received 104 mm of rain between 8 a.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Heavy rain totaling 194 mm during the period also hit the Tangjiashan area, blocking the sluice of the dangerous Tangjiashan quake lake and raising its water level by five meters.

Beichuan is one of the worst hit area in the devastating earthquake on May 12. The county seat was almost flattened in the quake.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/24/content_10102057.htm