New satellite images show problems developing with the #ThreeGorgesDam at a rapid pace.

Livestream video feeds have been turned off over the last few days and this might be why.

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(Thanks to @paul_furber for his input on this) #BigDickAnon

#三峡大坝

First, If you're not familiar with the world's biggest dam this is a good place to start: https://twitter.com/KevD00D/status/1294402728685449216?s=20

Note the huge red mobile cranes on the top which are about three stories high.

The lower ones are a little smaller, but pay attention to the horizontal wall behind them and in front of the spillway water discharge. We'll come back to that.

Top image was taken a few days ago on 2nd Sept, compared with one from 22-12-19

Downstream water is very discoloured

Lower cranes appear partially submerged

The spillway guide is also underwater

Very unusual turbolence above that wall

A lot of small craft activity (circled)

You can gain a better view by clicking the link here. Take a look around and if you move downstream you will see that the discolouration and turbulence continue all the way to the next dam about 60km away.

Note the water surface texture; it appears muddy https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel-playground/?source=S2&lat=30.822874483165982&lng=111.00075244903564&zoom=15&preset=1-NATURAL-COLOR&layers=B01,B02,B03&maxcc=100&gain=1.0&gamma=1.0&time=2020-03-01%7C2020-09-02&atmFilter=&showDates=true

The water level has increased significantly all along that stretch of river.

Here's what I think is happening, but first take a look at some outgassing seen in earlier images, which I believe are the result of water jets leaking through the lower dam. https://twitter.com/KevD00D/status/1293296722559537157?s=20

I'm open to suggestions, but my view is that those small high pressure leaks have eroded the dam and are now large holes through the base of the dam. The flow is pulling through thousands of tons of accumulated silt and depositing it downstream, causing the water level to back up

High pressure, high flow, gritty water is extremely abrasive and it will continue to erode the dam, pullng even more silt and debris through.

Those boats might be diver support, but really, I don't think they stand a chance against such immense forces

Things might become even worse if the normal annual flow pattern is repeated over the next few weeks. https://twitter.com/KevD00D/status/1301215766675623936?s=20

If you want to think about the global consequences of the worst happening to the dam, you can find some starting points on which to ponder here: https://twitter.com/KevD00D/status/1292559982999764993?s=20

Addendum:

Compare the turbulent flow about 50 km downstream between 30th August and 2nd Sept. during a time when controlled outflow was falling. Something has profoundly changed over that period which I believe is uncontrolled outflow under the dam @paul_furber @kagsundaram

Link for above:

https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel-playground/?source=S2&lat=30.409301340268463&lng=111.71516418457031&zoom=15&preset=1-NATURAL-COLOR&layers=B01,B02,B03&maxcc=100&gain=1.0&gamma=1.0&time=2020-03-01%7C2020-09-02&atmFilter=&showDates=true #ThreeGorgesDam