Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The Kolden Report: Fort Peck Spillway Repair, August 27, 2013

Hello, kids!

Some of you know that a major undertaking is ongoing to repair the Fort Peck Dam Spillway.  If I have this right, when the historic releases coursed over the concrete spillway, it caused the concrete spillway to "buck", and erode from below.  The sheer force of the releases scoured out a pool at the bottom of the raceway and also eroded the flanking earthen banks.  Now, repairs are underway.



According to signage, spillway gates will be worked on.  Here, the lake laps against the gates.




You can see a diagonal line across the spillway, channeling the Dam's gate leakage toward the eastern edge.   Work is underway along the Western edge.




Here is what the dam is all about (mostly).  




The Missouri River, downstream from the dam.




One sign of three, at the Dam, indicating what is being done and by whom.




At the bottom of the raceway, west of the plunge pool, a huge fill is underway.




This damage at the bottom of the raceway is likely part of why repairs are underway.




Here, you can see both sides, crumbling a bit.  Note the leakage is running only on the eastern edge.




Haul road, West bank.




The view from Tower Hill.  You can see a gate, blocking the road to the plunge pool while construction is underway.  

A tiny excavator on the heavily eroded western bank and the same very large fill below it as well as where the spillway released meet the Missouri River.  On the Eastern shore is also heavy equipment, moving earth.  


Pure air,  green grass,  blue sky and  WIDE view.




Fence line sky.




Back in the day, people would haul their garbage to the banks of rivers or streams or coulees and dump it.  This has been there awhile.  Like Woodsy Owl says, "Give a hoot, don't pollute!"





Is there a fungus amongus?  I'm not sure what this is but it's pretty!  Tiger fungus?




Pole pair.





Powerhouse pair.  Fort Peck Dam behind.  





Red hat?




Black hat.  (They are similar but so VERY different.)




Surreal.



Quad squad.  




Float like a .......bird!




Or not....

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"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it".
                                                                                         -Edith Wharton

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Sunday, August 25, 2013

The Kolden Report: Stormin' Mornin', August 25th, 2013

Hello, kids!

We woke just before dawn to the smell of rain.  

 
 


Quickly breaking camp, we set off for all weather roads.

  


 
 


Glorious morning.

  


 
 


  Cotton ball clouds.

  

  

 
 


A road less traveled.

 
 

Rays stream through the clouds.

 
 


Layers.

 
 


The great escape.

 
 


And then we happened upon this pretty little bird.

 
 


It did not fly away.

 
 


Instead, peering at me from its perch, with wind ruffled feathers.

  

 
 


Lovely in lilac.  (Probably another weed but a beauty, nonetheless.)

 
 


  
Leggy echinacea.  

 
 




Field of dreams.  (I love this -  even though I know the flowers are probably a noxious weed....I still find it breathtaking!)

 
 


Sunshine and storms.

 
 

In a moment of sunshine, the big picture (Fort Peck Lake, MT).  And this is just one teensy corner of the lake!

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"You may be the only bible somebody else reads."  
Mark Twain
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