Experts Warn Of Mass Floods In California Caused By Earthquakes

A federal agency warned that California is in danger of experiencing mass flooding if a powerful earthquake causes the Anderson Reservoir to collapse. Because of this, the agency has penned a letter ordering the owner of the reservoir to drain the dam in order to prevent a potential disaster.

The Anderson Reservoir is an artificial lake located in Santa Clara County. It can hold up to 111 billion liters of water and is enclosed by a 240-foot-high dam.

Due to its massive size and location, which is prone to earthquakes, experts fear that the reservoir is in danger of collapsing. Due to concerns over a potential disaster, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which owns Anderson Reservoir, to drain the dam, Fox News reported.

According to FERC, the reservoir should be completely drained by Oct. 1. Currently, it only holds about 74% of its total capacity due to concerns that a magnitude 7.2 or higher earthquake could cause the dam to break.

The order to drain the dam was issued through a letter penned by David Capka, the director of FERC’s Division of Dam Safety and Inspections. In the letter, the agency official noted that since the reservoir was constructed at an elevated position, it poses a huge threat to nearby populated areas.

“It is unacceptable to maintain the reservoir at an elevation higher than necessary when it can be reduced, thereby decreasing the risk to public safety and the large population downstream,” Capka stated.

After receiving details of the order, the Santa Clara Valley Water District agreed to begin draining the reservoir this year. In an official statement, the water district noted that it is well-aware of the possible dangers that the dam poses in the event of a powerful earthquake.

According to the water district, previous reports have shown that a powerful earthquake could cause the dam to collapse, sending an uncontrollable amount of water to nearby areas.

“Studies have shown a large earthquake could damage Anderson Dam, causing an uncontrolled release of water that could inundate cities and rural areas from San Francisco Bay south to Monterey Bay, including much of Silicon Valley,” the water district stated.