Flash flood warning issued due to ‘potential’ dam failure

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WB Staff
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Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:56 am

Flash flood warning issued due to ‘potential’ dam failure

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Flash flood warning issued for parts of Tuolumne Co. due to ‘potential’ dam failure

KCRA) —
Officials have downgraded the severity of the Moccasin Reservoir Dam from “imminent” failure to “potential” failure, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office said.

Waterflow from the dam’s emergency spillway triggered a flash flood warning Thursday for south central Tuolumne County, the National Weather Service said. The warning is in effect until 2:15 p.m. Friday.

The flood waters will be contained by the Don Pedro Reservoir, which is about one mile downstream.

The waterflow from Moccasin Reservoir Dam will have little impact on Don Pedro Reservoir. Moccasin Reservoir Dam can hold 554 acre-feet of water. Don Pedro Reservoir can hold 2.05 million acre-feet of water. Currently, Don Pedro is at 84 percent capacity, which means it still has room for 300,000 acre-feet of water.

Read the Rest and Watch the Vid: http://www.kcra.com/article/flash-flood ... m/19567046
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WB Staff
Posts: 12504
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:56 am

Re: Flash flood warning issued due to ‘potential’ dam failure

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From Don Pedro Lake Camping, Boating and Fishing

The Agency has received notification from SFPUC that the Evacuation Order has been lifted for the Moccasin Point Recreation Area and the Moccasin Point Marina.

Recreational use of the area can resume - effective immediately. You may also check the SFPUC website for the latest information http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?recordid=450&page=17

Please see the attached notice regarding drinking water at the Moccasin Point Recreation Area.

BOIL WATER NOTICE
Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness. The Don Pedro Recreation Agency advises that you to boil your tap water before use in the following areas:

• Moccasin Point Recreation Area
• Moccasin Point Campground
• Moccasin Point Marina

PURIFY TAP WATER BEFORE USING
Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and the
California State Water Resources Control Board (SWB) advise you to purify your tap water before use at Moccasin Compound

What is the problem with my water?
Your drinking water may pose a health risk if consumed without further treatment. . Consuming regular tap water at this time may cause stomach, intestinal, or other illness.
At approximately 3pm on March 22, 2018 system operators notice elevated turbidity in the water from the Moccasin powerhouse penstock that supplies water to the Moccasin Water System (MWS) during the current Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct maintenance outage. The elevated turbidity is apparently caused by unapproved water leaking through a valve and into the penstock. Consequently, water at MWS may not be safe for drinking.

What should I do?
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Anyone in an area listed above should purify or boil their water before use. Purified or boiled water should be used for: drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and preparing food. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants and some elderly may be at higher risk. If this is you, or someone you care for, seek advice about drinking water from your doctor.

Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one (1) minute, and let it cool before using; or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. This is the preferred method to ensure that the water is safe to drink.

• Free potable water (bottled water and/or coolers) will be available at Moccasin Administration Building after 12:00pm on March 23, 2018.

What does this mean?
A “Water Purification Advisory” is most often put in place as a precaution. It does not mean that the tap water is definitely contaminated and not safe for drinking. But, because the water might be unsafe, it must be purified, as described in this notice, to make it safe to drink.

Contaminated water may enter the drinking water pipes through a main break. Contaminated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

How and when will the problem be fixed?
The SFPUC is urgently addressing the problem and checking the water quality. The SFPUC will inform the public when it is no longer necessary to purify your water. We anticipate that MWS will return to normal operation by April 2. Currently, the normal raw water supply for MWS is unavailable until after the Hetch Hetchy water supply system is returned to service from the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct maintenance outage.
Need more information?
SFPUC Water Quality Division* (650) 652-3100; www.sfwater.org
California Department of Public Health (510) 620-3474
Your Local Water Provider* See your water bill or Utility/Government listings in your phone book.
US EPA Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791
SF 311 Customer Service Center (415) 701-2311 or 311 (open 24 hours)
SFPUC Customer Service Bureau (415) 551-3099 (M-F) 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this public notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this public notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. If other people, such as tenants, residents, patients, students, or employees, receive water from you, it is important that you provide this notice to them.

State Water System ID#: 3810003. Date distributed: March 22, 2018
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