ShreyaGlory Hole
The design of the spillway in the Lake Berryessa goes by many names like Bell-mouth and Glory hole. Think of it as a funnel popped out of a dam. We know that the diameter of the hole is 75 feet and the calculated depth is 28 feet. As to why a whirlpool effect happens when water reaches a level, this is the reason.
The Logic Behind
Because of the drought, the water levels did not reach anywhere near the height of the spillway. But when the water rises 440 ft above sea level, it reaches the level of the spillway too. That is when the excess water drains through the funnel, just like what happens in bathtubs and it looks like a whirlpool.
Exciting Discovery
Naturally, Evan was excited when he made this discovery about what he thought was a supernatural hole. He is excited and said in an interview- “It will be a great summer up here again.” No doubt it will be great. Since the spillway came in use after a long stretch of drought people are eager to see it, ensuring a good footfall to the Lake.
The Importance Of It
The dam caters to a large California population (600,000 people to be exact) serving water for irrigation and daily uses including drinking. The dam has a capacity of 526 billion gallons and yes, that is a lot. The person who heads the dam operations told, “as the water in the sink rises, it drains through that hole. But when it’s less full, the water is stagnant.”
Gaining Popularity
The person in charge also said, “I went up there (Lake Berryessa) the other day and there were about 15 drones flying around and people taking videos. It’s really dramatic to watch.” Obviously, people are curious about a 70 ft wide whirlpool in a river. It has become a local tourist spot. But it is not only the lake gaining attention. Evan profited from all this big time.
Youtube Hit
Usually, Kilkus’ videos on YouTube got like a thousand or so views even though he had around 32k followers. But when he posted the video of Lake Berryessa’s spillway the numbers shot by over 100 times. One of the videos has been viewed over 12 million times and the numbers still keep increasing. It has proven to a breakthrough in Evan’s YouTubing career.