Flooding III. The Monticello Dam opus 864
| 13 June 2026 1343 Hours | | History, Behavior, Climate, Current Events, Custom, Environment, Geology, Population |
I live on a small 37-acre farm east of Winters, California.
West of Winters sits the huge Lake Berryessa.
The Lake is held in by a large cement dam;
Monticello Dam, a Roman arch on its side.
The dam is constructed between two mountain hillsides.
This was the streambed of Putah Creek, now blocked.
The dam is very well-constructed and safe,
With a safety rating between 10,000 and 1,000,000.
To prevent an overflow, topping the dam,
The famous 'Glory Hole,' a 72-foot-wide circular pipe,
Diverts water 200 feet down to bypass the dam,
When the reservoir levels reach 440 feet.
In spite of that, I talked with an environmental engineer.
Who said that if the dam failed, my farm and the city of Davis,
Would be under 8 to 10 feet of water in minutes.
(After this discussion, I always thought of the populations
Below the earthen dam at Oroville, California,
Which was close to collapsing a few years ago.)
Again, my farm and Davis would be inundated in minutes,
With a raging wall of water eight feet high.
After some research, one will most likely find
A potential water problem almost anywhere!