No Damage: Shafer Dam Withstands Earthquake | Pictures

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It wasn’t a small earthquake – but it shook – enough to upset the Schafer Dam at Lake Success while the remnants of recent storms can be seen as debris is strewn across the lake.

The US Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducted a series of inspections of the Richard L. Schafer and the Tull River stream after a 3.2 earthquake was recorded at around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Lake Success was the epicenter.

“After conducting a post-earthquake examination of the dam and associated aftershocks, there were no worrisome findings to report,” said Charlie Mauldin, Corps of Engineers dam operations project manager.

Mauldin added that dam operators will continue to perform routine inspections and report any findings. After the last major storm, Success Lake has storage at 42,340 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, which is about 50 percent of capacity. The US Army Corps of Engineers has stated that any releases at this time are part of normal capping operations.

The dam provides flood control, recreation and irrigation opportunities and extends 3,490 feet across the Tully River and is 142 feet high. The USGS reports that the quake occurred about five miles below the lake.

Calvin Foster, director of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southern Operations Area in the Sacramento area, who lives on the nearby Montgomery Ranch, said the quake sounded like a “sonic boom” and he could definitely feel it. “I don’t remember anything ever happening there,” Foster said.

He said a protocol was followed to inspect the dam after an earthquake based on factors such as the earthquake’s surroundings, its strength and whether we “felt” it.

We look for any change, problems or damage “from previous inspections that are performed regularly,” Foster said of the post-earthquake inspection. “Public safety is paramount in everything we do.”

The Schafer Dam Spillway is being widened as the second phase of the project, consisting of the construction of a physical spillway, is under way as part of the Success Lake Enlargement project. Foster said the project was not affected by the earthquake and was clearly more affected by the recent storms.

“The only effect was a lot of runoff, which made a mess of a lot of things,” Foster said.

The first phase of the project, which included the necessary road works, was completed last year. Foster said he still believes the downfall is on track to be completed in 2024. Foster said he wants to see the downfall completed “so I can make the decision to retire.”

The aftermath of the storm was seen on Wednesday and Lake An-Najah was filled with debris. Foster said he can accept a trade-off when it comes to the storms’ effects.

“We’re glad we’re getting this rain,” Foster said. “What gets you out of a drought is a flood. It’s been quite a few years since we experienced this.”

The An-Najah Dam spillway will be raised by 10 feet as a result of the project. The US Army Corps of Engineers reported a 1 in 50 chance in any given year of flooding in Porterville from the Tule River. Once the downstream is complete, this risk will be halved.

Raising the water drainage channel will increase the storage capacity of Al-Najah Lake by 28,000 feddans to 110,000 feddans.

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