Engineers Successfully Complete Repairing One of America’s Most Dangerous Isabella Dam’s

Photo source- Google.com

Isabella Dam's long-awaited repair work was completed with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday.

[{"selector":"#anim-eb3ee324-8c57-4cdb-91cd-f940062a3195","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f28d7e02-47b4-4d22-a634-04ae87e6fcd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -132.47153%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bba7a721-40be-42e3-a9c8-7b6a78547f3a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a87ab60d-107e-4a77-b842-0054dbe40365","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

The dam, considered one of the most essential infrastructure projects in Kern County, was initially constructed in the early 1950s.

[{"selector":"#anim-883a2a27-6770-4b2a-95b5-5068ac27efbe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e00c2644-f81f-4c42-9bb0-3b3f3180df36","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -132.47153%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f011789d-52f3-4eae-8adb-75ba8d03756e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-780289f4-0d0e-4d63-a614-759c1c744a57","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

Isabella Dam was previously believed to be one of America's most dangerous dams and was in dire need of repair in 2006.

[{"selector":"#anim-a4f3cdfa-8f04-4b35-a7bf-4c3a3027cf12","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-876afc6c-7ad5-47dd-84e3-57977fc2e05c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -132.47153%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a84ac192-620a-4ee6-b1c4-330743a795f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69f13854-4f04-44c0-a79f-f8630ca721b2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(110.63829%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

The dam's repair work was put on high priority after it was found that it might fail to withstand a major seismic event. Even heavy floods were found to cause harm to the dam's structure, putting surrounding communities at risk.

[{"selector":"#anim-548348d3-e5d0-4d92-801f-e5c117051cf7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8ab4d53-fb9f-48f6-b1b9-87c04b8a9b3f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -139.73635%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c3da8fc-4491-4629-8be0-86f22812de9e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e71a7b0f-cda2-4b2d-94b6-1bbf111b6046","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.15806%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

The project cost was estimated at $323 million, and it eventually took ten years of construction to complete. A fully fortified dam and auxiliary dam, enlarged spillways, and a massive labyrinth weir were ready as planned.

[{"selector":"#anim-a39cae5b-e132-4663-a178-d6b1b5afa395","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1a8e81e-5389-48f5-ae69-70dd39e896ba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -139.73635%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ec0c672-1ebc-4c7e-8585-43ecbcce24f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a00f78f-e46c-4f51-9195-48256f22113d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.15806%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

Kevin McCarthy, the House Speaker, expressed his gratitude to the workers and thanked them for the successful completion of the project.

[{"selector":"#anim-1cf36c55-c33e-4b55-b08c-971c5c119872","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90323c9d-4a61-4349-8ede-bd6c01d4cca3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -133.58804%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a01d124-c04d-4e4d-a4e7-1c996afd9118","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b74b1ab-c728-4ab4-97f7-1c84807329db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.15806%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

Early stages of the construction faced some challenges, with safety upgrades starting in 2013. A massive weir was consequently built to support channel flows during major flood events.

[{"selector":"#anim-dbfb5faf-c458-4669-b0a7-0a07cb76341d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f01dd081-57b8-41d4-bb67-15a52add6fb8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -143.09642%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d5057f8-e858-4c74-b510-98a8dc712868","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73e17ffa-c4b6-46d4-9a10-34d244b0c68a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(110.94224%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

The walls of the spillways were strengthened by anchor bolts sunk into the rockbed, and the tops of the main and auxiliary dams were raised to increase lake capacity.

[{"selector":"#anim-950437f4-2219-4088-b4f9-c62aeef79952","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95d7074c-4106-4744-bfb6-4d050808c71d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -135.62986%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6f3e380-ed8f-4aec-92f0-ffb8fcc0adbd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb2a220f-2323-4eff-9542-c0b96f61b75a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(110.94224%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com

With a crew of 300 working in two separate shifts per day, the project came to completion and now will help protect the Kern River Valley.

[{"selector":"#anim-b5fcee76-bb1d-4bfe-87b6-a0e016fc07b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cde28c95-3c33-467d-8754-28ce748e7500","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -133.02035%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e4d1f71-cd0a-4c38-9ad1-cde887e07e81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b0715a2-3771-4d2c-8578-9dca6b8670bf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(110.94224%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source- Google.com