Whaley Bridge dam collapse: Derbyshire town evacuated amid fears flooding could cause dam to burst

A town in England is being evacuated amid fears a dam could collapse after it became damaged during flash floods.

Residents of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire have been asked to leave their homes due to a severe flood warning indicating danger to life.

Pictures posted to social media showed panels on one side of the dam, holding the Toddbrook Reservoir, near Whaley Bridge in the High Peak area had partially collapsed.

Derbyshire Police closed roads in order to assess the stability of the wall, but by 2.30pm on Thursday, it was deemed too unsafe for people to be near and offered emergency accommodation to those in danger.

A Derbyshire Police spokesman said: "Whaley Bridge is being evacuated due to the ongoing situation at Toddbrook Reservoir.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/01/whaley-bridge-dam-collapse-latest-news-derbyshire-town-evacuated/

This is what happens when the local water authority gives the dam building contract to one of their cousins,  instead of having experienced dam builders design it for them...

And then follow up by allowing their developer mates to clearfell all of that vegetation on the hillsides that once slowed down and even absorbed a lot of runoff from heavy rainfall..


They could always round up a few of those denialists and anti-science twonks from 'Mumsnet', PETA and Tommy's anti-climate corner,  and let them stick their fingers in the cracks and hold back the floodwaters.

You don't half spout some shite wolfie...you need to seek treatment.....

Now if you had said lack of ongoing inspection and maintenance I might just be inclined to agree with you.

Victorismyhero wrote:
Now if you had said lack of ongoing inspection and maintenance I might just be inclined to agree with you.

One of the basic things one learns at agricultural college in regards to water conservation, are some of the underlying principles of where and how to build dams -- but what would I know, I'm just an illiterate and dopey beekeeper, according to some on here...

Looking at the news reports of that dam failure and the current repair efforts, that is some very suspect design and construction there..

A bit of a "disaster just waiting to happen" ?

Chicken and egg. villages below dams always have the potential for disaster.
How many new builds were built after the dam was completed?
Why WOULD you build a house underneath a billion gallons of water just waiting to come flooding down?

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

This is what happens when the local water authority gives the dam building contract to one of their cousins,  instead of having experienced dam builders design it for them...

And then follow up by allowing their developer mates to clearfell all of that vegetation on the hillsides that once slowed down and even absorbed a lot of runoff from heavy rainfall..


They could always round up a few of those denialists and anti-science twonks from 'Mumsnet', PETA and Tommy's anti-climate corner,  and let them stick their fingers in the cracks and hold back the floodwaters.

Wasn't it built something like 200 years ago primarily to control the water supply to the then essential canal system connecting the rapidly developing industrial north? I would have thought that entrepreneurs and not a local water authority would have been behind the scheme, and the civil engineers of the day included people like Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Scientific and engineering excellence started in this country long before you finished at Longerenong College, or wherever it was that you graduated.

Also, the reservoir appears to have withstood the test of time extremely well, given all the changes and natural occurrences. That region does get measurable earth tremors; a map of the historical seismicity of the UK over the past couple of centuries shows a cluster of them in the north west of England.

Perhaps we should be looking more at scientists and engineers of your generation responsible for monitoring its maintenance rather than those innovative and brilliant Victorians who designed and built it.

Fred M. wrote:Scientific and engineering excellence started in this country long before you finished at College...

Perhaps we should be looking more at scientists and engineers...

Yes, it does seem to be a failure of British engineering application.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

This is what happens when the local water authority gives the dam building contract to one of their cousins,  instead of having experienced dam builders design it for them...

And then follow up by allowing their developer mates to clearfell all of that vegetation on the hillsides that once slowed down and even absorbed a lot of runoff from heavy rainfall..


They could always round up a few of those denialists and anti-science twonks from 'Mumsnet', PETA and Tommy's anti-climate corner,  and let them stick their fingers in the cracks and hold back the floodwaters.

Wasn't it built something like 200 years ago primarily to control the water supply to the then essential canal system connecting the rapidly developing industrial north? I would have thought that entrepreneurs and not a local water authority would have been behind the scheme, and the civil engineers of the day included people like Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Scientific and engineering excellence started in this country long before you finished at Longerenong College, or wherever it was that you graduated.

Also, the reservoir appears to have withstood the test of time extremely well, given all the changes and natural occurrences. That region does get measurable earth tremors; a map of the historical seismicity of the UK over the past couple of centuries shows a cluster of them in the north west of England.

Perhaps we should be looking more at scientists and engineers of your generation responsible for monitoring its maintenance rather than those innovative and brilliant Victorians who designed and built it.

And never forget that it was the Romans who introduced dams, aqueducts and indoor plumbing to Britain...

Some 1800 years or so before you had your own engineering faculties..

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

This is what happens when the local water authority gives the dam building contract to one of their cousins,  instead of having experienced dam builders design it for them...

And then follow up by allowing their developer mates to clearfell all of that vegetation on the hillsides that once slowed down and even absorbed a lot of runoff from heavy rainfall..


They could always round up a few of those denialists and anti-science twonks from 'Mumsnet', PETA and Tommy's anti-climate corner,  and let them stick their fingers in the cracks and hold back the floodwaters.

The Toddbrook Dam in Whaley bridge was built in 1831 you blundering fool.

Syl wrote:

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

This is what happens when the local water authority gives the dam building contract to one of their cousins,  instead of having experienced dam builders design it for them...

And then follow up by allowing their developer mates to clearfell all of that vegetation on the hillsides that once slowed down and even absorbed a lot of runoff from heavy rainfall..


They could always round up a few of those denialists and anti-science twonks from 'Mumsnet', PETA and Tommy's anti-climate corner,  and let them stick their fingers in the cracks and hold back the floodwaters.

The Toddbrook Dam in Whaley bridge was built in 1831 you blundering fool.

is it anywhere near you syl

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Wasn't it built something like 200 years ago primarily to control the water supply to the then essential canal system connecting the rapidly developing industrial north? I would have thought that entrepreneurs and not a local water authority would have been behind the scheme, and the civil engineers of the day included people like Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Scientific and engineering excellence started in this country long before you finished at Longerenong College, or wherever it was that you graduated.

Also, the reservoir appears to have withstood the test of time extremely well, given all the changes and natural occurrences. That region does get measurable earth tremors; a map of the historical seismicity of the UK over the past couple of centuries shows a cluster of them in the north west of England.

Perhaps we should be looking more at scientists and engineers of your generation responsible for monitoring its maintenance rather than those innovative and brilliant Victorians who designed and built it.

And never forget that it was the Romans who introduced dams, aqueducts and indoor plumbing to Britain...

Some 1800 years or so before you had your own engineering faculties..

Who said they didn't? British Kids were being taught that in school long before my own time in short trousers. And you don't need bold type to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge, you know...some of us know a hell of a lot more than you do.

gelico wrote:

Syl wrote:

The Toddbrook Dam in Whaley bridge was built in 1831 you blundering fool.

is it anywhere near you syl

It's about 15 miles away Gels.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:


And never forget that it was the Romans who introduced dams, aqueducts and indoor plumbing to Britain...

Some 1800 years or so before you had your own engineering faculties..

Who said they didn't? British Kids were being taught that in school long before my own time in short trousers. And you don't need bold type to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge, you know...some of us know a hell of a lot more than you do.

I think the point, Fred, is that British engineers blundered.  I didn't say their understanding failed, I said their application the principles of engineering failed.

I didn't blame the engineers in my earlier posts, either...

I said it could have been the water authority awarding the contract to their cousins (instead of choosing the best builders..).

Nepotism and profiteering has been a widespread problem for years.

The latest local news is that the situation is still critical, but progress has been made in draining the reservoir and blocking further water  to flow in.
The bad news is heavy rain is forecast again tomorrow.

Some residents have been allowed 15 minutes to go back in to Whaley Bridge to collect pets and urgent supplies.

People are obviously concentrating on averting disaster and preventing loss of life at present to analyse exactly what went wrong here, but 2 months rainfall in the space of 3 days cant have helped.

Didn't something similar, probably without the torrential rain, happen in California a few years ago? The Feather River dam or something like that. I think there was another dam where cracks appeared forget where.

Vintage wrote:Didn't something similar, probably without the torrential rain, happen in California a few years ago? The Feather River dam or something like that. I think there was another dam where cracks appeared forget where.

Yes it did. The Oroville Dam (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oroville-Dam):

According to national dam expert Scott Cahill of Watershed Services of Ohio, Oroville Dam is on the same failure track as in 2017, with visible water seepage trickling from the foot of the dam and dozens of points along the dam's principal spillway. Cahill warns that warming temperatures magnified by precipitation is a growing threat to the dam.

They were fixing the spillway when rains caused the spillway collapse. Ultimately, this is the result of Republican austerity. The US desperately needs infrastructure overhaul, but Trump, Moscow Mitch and the Republicans are unwilling to pass any legislation to effect it, even though is was one of Trump's campaign issues.

You see what austerity gets you. And, with the massive gas explosion in Kentucky, you see what deregulation gets you. https://thinkprogress.org/natural-gas-pipeline-explosion-levels-homes-in-kentucky-town-56b7d89aa40a/ Republicans don't give a damn, unless one of their investments are involved.

If you wanna make America great again, quit fookin' around and pass the infrastructure legislation, Donald.