Possible solution to Fort Peck Dam ... divert so it does not impact the next dam *hope*

I am not an expert, I cannot even seem to find a good topo map, or similar, so here we are with Google Earth and a flood map from some days back.

The nightmare of trillions of gallons of water going all the way to the Mississippi .. could be averted if there were a way to divert the water at the large wide spot about half way to the next big lake/dam. IF and that is IF what I think I see is what I think it is .. a very big gully made by a previous flood, long ago.

With a little nudge from the Corp of Engineers and the Military; this could be used as an emergency spill way for the Fort Peck waters .. IF the dam gave up the ghost and melted into oblivion ... which everyone hopes it does not!!

An older (June 7, 2011) page with mapping of flooding in the Missouri watershed:
The flood mapping page

An enlarged version of that map, which seems to offer some hope:
The Flood map with the natural flood gate

Just the Google Map of Fort Peck Dam, and the next dam down stream:
[[Ahem, you have to zoom out, and then follow the river down past the wide place, and to the next big collection of water .. which is the next dam, with both dams visible, look for that big wide place:]]
The Google Map

Wiki Commons image of the Fort Peck Dam .. a whopper, but aging.
The "large" Fort Peck dam

Here is where I think the solution could be implemented: ... But I am neither an engineer, nor even certain of my maps .. so I am just offering this. Feel free to point out any mistakes I may have made.
Outlined area on Google map

There have been tornadoes, hail and heavy rain in areas associated with this flooding, as the fires and the high temps in the south force the jet stream north... away from the bread basket of America, but also right into the flood zone. There has been a loss of over 2.7 million acres of 2011 agricultural corn ...

With concern for many, many people and the Atlantic .. which does not need radiation any sooner than it will get there naturally.

I'm sorry, but it seems to me that you have no idea of what is involved in this sloughing of tremendous amounts of water down across the middle of the country.

You say "trillions of gallons of water." That would be a drop in the bucket as the old saying goes in regard to the situation.

Making the water go somewhere else? There is the other old say, "Water seeks its own level." And it is doing just that, and puny man can do little about that unalterable quest of nature

Originally posted by Aliensun
I'm sorry, but it seems to me that you have no idea of what is involved in this sloughing of tremendous amounts of water down across the middle of the country.

You say "trillions of gallons of water." That would be a drop in the bucket as the old saying goes in regard to the situation.

Making the water go somewhere else? There is the other old say, "Water seeks its own level." And it is doing just that, and puny man can do little about that unalterable quest of nature

That is exactly my point!
That there appears to be an ancient flood spillway at the place where the water is wide, and that the water has gone that way some time in the past!

In the other thread they were figuring out how much water (enormous amounts) .. some trillions of gallons from Fort Peck .. and the others added in, but it need not be that way!!
Major event about to unfold (10 pages)

I don't know if that big gap has been amended with concrete or any other work, or if it is just as nature left it.

If the water hit that slow area, it might, on it's own, go down that ancient watercourse; ... but if it has been reinforced .. then someone might have to give it a little nudge to send it to that old flood plain!!

I am just saying there is no reason to fear the waters of Fort Peck causing a cascade failure of dams, if this option is covered ...

There should be GPS on the dam now, and sirens attached to them.
The people of Fort Peck and surrounds need a good escape route which will accommodate lots of cars ...
FEMA's territory, and Fema is there ... let us hope they are thinking save not salvage.

I do not disagree with you, I am just saying a big part of this could go over another hill, and not add to the chaos and destruction!!

www.fbo.gov...

They are already planning to divert the water. Why else would you need large amounts of rock, at a dam?

reply to post by BillW


What ever amount of rock they bring in will not "divert" that amount of water!

Perhaps they have some other idea in mind ... ???

Looking over Google Earth I actually found another old spillway from an previous flood, which is further downstream from the bottle neck above the next lower dam ... below the next dam .. those would be the places to send the water out of the watershed -- toward the south and west!!
...
There is nothing to do at Fort Peck but open the flood gates and hope to heck that it holds!!