1910 Redmond Dam on French Broad River near Marshall, NC

(Satellite)

In this video of the Hurricane Helen flooding, because the water is moving, you can easily see that the brown on the tracks in the background is water that is going around the dam.

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This is the third example I've seen in 2014 teaching us that engineers need to pay attention to the height of the abutments of concrete dams. The first two examples I have seen are:

Rapidan Dam. This is an early photo. After a few days the bank was eroded underneath that house and all the way down to the downstream level. The house disappeared.

StarTribune, Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via Dennis DeBruler

Nolichucky Dam. The TVA had to do repair work of the right abutment.

0:19 video via Dennis DeBruler

There are whitewater sports on this river. As an example of the impact of rain on this river basin, just an inch of overnight rain increased the flow from 2,800cfs to 5,500cfs. [BlueRidgeNow]

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This is what a more normal flow looks like. 

Duke Energy posted
Marshall Hydroelectric Station is the perfect backdrop for fall. Nestled on the French Broad River in North Carolina, the station began operations in 1910. Quick start-up times make hydroelectric power ideal for providing electricity in a matter of seconds when demand is high. 

The island that we see in this photo appears to be under water in the third Facebook Reel screenshot above.

Ryan Phillips Photo

A good view of the hydraulic jump because of Hurrican Helene.

r/asheville, Hurricane Helene

I found a capacity figure of 5mw, but that seems too low. [GlobalEnergyObservatory, the GPS coordinates don't make sense.]

These are the flood waters that destroyed the Southern Depot in Marshall, NC.

1879-1960 British Railroad Bridge over Severn River between Sharpness and Lydney, UK

Bridge Remnants: (Satellite, the swingspan pier on the left of the canal and the bridge abutment on the right.)

Tunnel: (Satellite)

The History of Wales posted

17th October 1879 saw the official opening of the Severn Railway Bridge (destroyed in 1960).

The Severn Railway Bridge crossed the River Severn between Sharpness and Lydney and was built by the Severn Bridge Railway company to transport coal from the Forest of Dean on the Severn and Wye Railway.

The bridge predated the construction of the Severn Tunnel, which is situated around 12 miles downstream, by seven years, after which it was used as a diversionary route when the tunnel was closed for engineering work and became known by locals as 'The White Elephant'.

On 25th October 1960, there was thick fog and a strong tide; two barges carrying fuel oil and petroleum overshot Sharpness Dock and were carried upstream by hazardous tidal currents. They collided with one of the columns of the bridge, causing two spans of the 22-span steel and cast iron bridge to collapse. Part of the structure hit the barges, setting fire to them. Five people died in the incident.

The Western Region of British Railways planned to reconstruct the bridge, but after further damage to the bridge in 1961, it considered the bridge to be damaged beyond economic repair and demolition was completed in 1970.

Ron Nicholls commented on the above post
Hard to imagine it now.

Grahame Conlon commented on the above post

Simon Hartley commented on the above post
Here is a bit of the OS 1-Inch map, dated 1966. I am amused and impressed that they left out the bit of bridge which had fallen.

John Berge commented on the above post
I walked along the canal towpath this summer and took this photo. An impressive structure.

Lou Coony commented on the above post
What remains today South bank.

JJ Williams commented on the above post
This is the Severn Bridge tunnel leading to the bridge on the Lydney side. Walked through it back in March. Seems to be used as a farm track now.

 Shaun Vizor commented on the above post
Walked some of the remaining track last weekend. Tunnel near Purton in surprisingly good condition