Oroville Dam Emergency Illustrates Challenges for U.S. Dam Infrastructure
This aerial view from a California Department of Water Resources drone shows water flowing from the Lake Oroville flood control spillway at 55,000 cubic feet per second on February 11, 2017. Photo by California Department of Water Resources. By Ellen Faulkner, PE The drought emergency is over for most of California, thanks to winter rains… Read More »
Tags: Board of Consultants, California, Dam Design, Dam Maintenance, Dam Monitoring, High Hazard Dams, Oroville Dam
Painting the Town Red: What Colors Tell Us About Underground Utilities
With spring setting in and the construction season beginning in earnest, you may notice some “graffiti” marking up a sidewalk, intersection, or lawn in your neighborhood. The varied paint colors (often accompanied by bouquets of small flags) may just seem like clutter as you move past. But for those who will be digging there soon,… Read More »
Tags: American Public Works Association, APWA, Subsurface Utility Engineering, SUE, Survey, TRENDS, Underground Utilities
When Emergency Strikes, Inspectors and Engineers Leap into Action
The Atlanta transportation system was dealt a colossal blow March 30 after a massive fire under Interstate 85 caused a large bridge section to collapse. The blaze, apparently set intentionally, brought instant headaches to hundreds of thousands of commuters – even prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency. The collapse was a topic… Read More »
Tags: Bridges, Emergency Inspection, Flooding, Highways, Infrastructure, Transportation, Water Supply