And the purpose of this story? What's the new news?

Written just for 'sedimental' reasons

It was written, quite appropriately, as a sidebar to a much longer story on Jasper Ridge that appeared in the print edition.

The dam does not provide "flood risk reduction". In fact, it is listed by the Army Corps and State as a high hazard dam whose failure would be catastrophic to downstream neighborhoods. The division of dam safety has documented multiple cracks from the upstream to downstream side. It is over a century old and adjacent to the San Andreas Fault. The spillway is under sized. One of the drain valves ( needed in an emergency ) is blocked with sediment. Their is no emergency action plan for the dam despite state protocol. This unnecessary and environmentally harmful dam is a ticking time bomb and huge legal liability for Stanford. Putting a hole in an old cracked dam and filling it during dangerous storms is a ridiculous idea. Letting it fill in is equally misguided. Dam removal and a restored creek is the best option for the community, for Jasper Ridge, and for the watershed. An institution like Stanford should know this. The science, economics, and public safety benefits are clear.

I find it strange that Stanford continues to try and glorify and save the wetlands behind the dam. The reservoir has submerged and reduced the amount or wetlands that were there before the dam. Removing the dam would restore more wetlands, bring back miles of creeks that are under a reservoir, and improve water quality. The win win is removing the dam.

Searsville was a wonderful recreation area for swimming, picnicking etc. It was a crime when Stanford failed to maintain it for such activities. So, it will take a few truck loads to bring back the lake. Lets start tomorrow.....Oh, I forgot, the current condition gives the so called environmentalists another thing to whine and complain about!!!!!!

Bcb,
Ha. "A few truckloads"? Besides not knowing the issue, please reread your comment and think about who is whining and complaining.

June 1, 2017 8:50 PM EDST. Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Given the absence of adequate regulation of Oroville Dam and the consequences of the huge cost to bring it up to engineering standards, if other dams in California, particularly Searsville Dam,have not been regulated adequately, I suspect that to meet local, state, and federal engineering requirements for dams of that size and safety of dams hazard potential classification including Searsville the cost of bringing them up to current standards would be so much greater than removal. Time will tell!!!
703-493-8050

A "few" truckloads? More like 10000 ten wheelers at 10 yards a piece. I can hear the neighbors whining now over that volume of truck traffic.

Please remove this embarrassing dam from our "environmentally friendly" campus.

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