Vandals destroy dam, release 49 million gallons of water into Bay (California)

[GennGreymane]

http://kron4.com/2015/05/22/vandals-...ater-into-bay/

Fremont (KRON) — Fremont police say vandals attacked an inflatable dam on Alameda Creek that resulted in the loss of nearly 50 million gallons of water.

Police believe that those responsible entered a restricted area sometime on Thursday morning and intentionally damaged the dam.

“The dam, which is instrumental to the Alameda County Water District’s water supply operations, suffered irreversible damage,” police said.

According to police, more than 150 acre-feet of water – or 49 million gallons – washed past the destroyed dam and into the San Francisco Bay. The water was to have been percolated into the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin for use by residents and businesses in Fremont, Newark, and Union City as a critical water supply.

“This amount of water is enough to supply the needs of approximately 500 homes for one year,” police said.

District staff was able to quickly open upstream diversions, allowing water which would have been impounded behind the dam to flow into nearby groundwater recharge facilities, thus eliminating further water loss.

“This is a very significant loss of water under any circumstances, and more so in the drought conditions we are experiencing,” said ACWD General Manager Robert Shaver. “It is an utterly senseless, destructive, and wasteful thing to do.”

The District does not believe it will have a long-term impact on its water

he vandalized dam is one of a pair ACWD maintains on Alameda Creek. The dams are large, heavy-duty devices, which can be inflated to impound needed water or deflated to allow water to flow through the creek in storm conditions.

[Deleted]

The one who done that should face a quite long prison sentence imo.

[WskyDK]

"The District does not believe it will have a long-term impact on its water"

Shitty situation, but this is all that matters

[Emageht Tsoluoy]

it was an old temporary structure... was there evidence to suggest it was vandals, and not a failure due to inadequate maintenance?

[Independent voter]

Could be environmental terrorists. There's this thing where the San Francisco Bay gets too salty and it harms a lot of the wildlife there.

[Blueobelisk]

Kill 'em.

No really. They're scumbags who intentionally destroyed property in a restricted area which led to wasted resources. I don't want people like that in my society.

[Teebone]

Could be environmental terrorists. There's this thing where the San Francisco Bay gets too salty and it harms a lot of the wildlife there.

I was thinking the terrorism angle too. Destroying a public dam as vandalism? Graffiti is vandalism...

[Donald Hellscream]

Well some people are retarded, I suppose the vandal could face some sort of fine or somthing if caught.

[Arewn]

Kill 'em.

No really. They're scumbags who intentionally destroyed property in a restricted area which led to wasted resources. I don't want people like that in my society.

That's why we have prisons...

[Templar 331]

An inflatable dam? First I've heard of that. I guess it was cheaper than building a regular concrete dam and now it's biting them in the tail now. Hope they catch the little pricks who did this.

[Deleted]

I was thinking the terrorism angle too. Destroying a public dam as vandalism? Graffiti is vandalism...

Well you could also call arson vandalism. There's always going to be crazies who like destroying things just for the kick of destroying things.

But yeah I'd think most likely is some form of pre-planned environmental terrorism, can't imagine destroying a dam is something you can just wake up one day and go "hmmm I feel like blowing something up today, let's do a damn!".

[Deleted]

Kill 'em.

No really. They're scumbags who intentionally destroyed property in a restricted area which led to wasted resources. I don't want people like that in my society.

Kind of an overreaction.

[Dextroden]

I was thinking the terrorism angle too. Destroying a public dam as vandalism? Graffiti is vandalism...

Why do I feel like when they get some suspects together, the charges will change based on who they are?

[Deleted]

I'm going to agree with kill them. There's a point at which you're such a fuck up you don't get another chance.

[poser765]

Kind of an overreaction.

A fundamental aspect of GenOT is overreaction and hyperbole.

[Sunseeker]

It's Fremont. Most likely it was just some assholes.

"Eco-terrorists" usually like to make a scene, such as torching a hummer facility.

[Revi]

Luckily it wasn't that much, but still a reprehensible thing to do, especially with the drought. It's gotta be related to the drought somehow too, I just don't understand why anyone would want to make it worse.

[Korgoth]

I hope they find the bastards and bring every terrorism related charge that remotely applies against them.

[poser765]

I hope they find the bastards and bring every terrorism related charge that remotely applies against them.

Terrorism you say?

[JohnBrown1917]

I'm going to agree with kill them. There's a point at which you're such a fuck up you don't get another chance.

Kinda hard to get very solid proof in cases in like this.