Crack Found in Washington Dam on Columbia River.
A 65-foot-long crack in a Columbia River dam in central Washington has prompted officials to begin lowering the water level by 20 feet so inspectors can get a better idea of how serious the damage is.
Grant County Public Utility District spokesman Thomas Stredwick said Friday there's no immediate threat to public safety from the crack in the Wanapum Dam, located just downstream from where Interstate 90 crosses the river.
Still, The Seattle Times reports (http://is.gd/aE0vDj) Stredwick calls the crack a serious problem. An engineer earlier this week spotted a slight "bowing" above the spillway gates near where cars can drive across the dam. Divers found a 2-inch-wide crack along the base of one of the spillway piers.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/03/01/us/ap-us-columbia-dam-crack.html?hp
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