Sahagun, Louis. (2023, January 24) January Storms Leave L.A. County Flood-Control Dams at Risk of Overflowing. Retrieved February 11, 2023,
Los Angeles County’s flood control system is at risk of overflowing due to the heavy rain that occurred in January. As a result, officials warned residents of LA county to be prepared for potential flooding, landslides, and debris flow. The county’s 14 major dams and reservoirs are being closely monitored, and measures are being taken to lower water levels and increase capacity. The risk of flooding is expected to remain high until at least the end of February, with further storms predicted. The potential for flooding is a reminder of the need to prioritize infrastructure improvements and climate change mitigation efforts. Public works are continuously working on removing debris and mud from the reservoirs.
Hydropower use today can still be challenging to work with. Contrary to the previous article, dams and reservoirs can overflow and lead to disaster. Overflowing and flooding are not the only problems using hydropower faces. Over the past month, California has received an abundant rain that became runoff or mixed in with dirt. Which then causes mud and debris to cover the reservoirs. LA county needs to find a cost-efficient way of removing said mud and debris. People can argue why using dams for electricity can be controversial and ineffective.
I like that you brought up some of the issues regarding hydropower that can often be overlooked. While it is an excellent option for clean energy, we often do not truly address the dangers of it because rain, as heavy as we saw this past month, is never a primary concern in California. Considering the severe impacts that could be brought on by mass flooding, do you think that we should begin building better hydropower infrastructure or is heavy rain too infrequent to spend money?
Great article summary! I agree that hydropower can become a difficult situation when extreme environmental weather events affect the energy sources ability to function properly. This is why I believe nuclear energy is the most effective source of energy and should be implemented more in California.
It is interesting that most major dams are being taken care of to lower the levels of the water to maintain sufficient bodies of water. But also how it has impacted ecosystems and even cities like ours.