The Morning Glory Spillway, called the “Glory Hole” by locals in California, spilled over for the first time in 10 years in February of 2017. The overflow was a result of a month of rains filling the river in formerly drought-stricken California. It has also pushed Lake Berryessa in Napa County way beyond capacity, pouring water into its bathtub-like drain.
The spillway, which is located 200 feet from the Monticello Dam is shaped like a funnel. It’s 72-feet wide at its lip and narrowing to 28 feet at an outlet down at the Putah Creek.
When the reservoir reaches capacity – which it did with the heavy rains – this spillway can take in about 48,000 cubic feet of water per second. According to CBS News, that’s the equivalent of draining half an Olympic sized pool in one second!
What’s amazing is that the drain was so dry during California’s drought that it became an unofficial skateboard park. But not during this spectacle, that’s for sure.
Drone operator Evan Kilkus said that the latest rains in California topped the lake off at over 3.5 feet above the World Famous Glory Hole Spillway at Lake Berryessa. His latest drone video shows Lake Berryessa, Putah Creek, and the Monticello Dam up close and from the air and the footage is breathtaking!
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