Five employees were rescued from Colgate Powerhouse after a high-pressure pipe burst Friday, releasing a torrent of water and debris into Yuba County’s main hydroelectric facility.
The mile-long pipe carries water from New Bullards Bar Dam to the powerhouse, which is situated on the banks of the Yuba River. Just before 3 p.m. Friday, the pipe suffered a “catastrophic failure” that sent water rushing downhill from the pipe and into the facility, the Yuba Water Agency said.
A technical rescue team from the Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit was dispatched to the scene. At 5:38 p.m. Friday, the team was using drones and helicopters to search for one missing person, Cal Fire officials said. By 6:03 p.m., the person was rescued by a helicopter and transported to a local hospital.
The person remained hospitalized Saturday, Yuba Water said in a weekend update. The agency said it was working to determine the cause of the break and minimize the environmental impact on the Yuba River.
“Right now, we’re focusing on doing everything we can to prevent any additional debris from entering the Yuba River and continuing to secure the site ahead of forecasted rain tomorrow,” said Yuba Water Agency General Manager Willie Whittlesey.
One person remained hospitalized Saturday after a ruptured pipe flooded Yuba County’s New Colgate Powerhouse the day before. (Cal Fire)
The agency has been upgrading its pipe system since September. According to a project timeline on its website, Yuba Water planned to install a new protective valve on the pipe and “begin to slowly return the flow of water” this week.
New Bullards Bar Dam remained stable Saturday, Yuba Water said. There was no risk of downstream flooding related to the incident, but authorities urged members of the public to avoid the site.
This article originally published at Workers rescued after burst pipe floods Northern California power plant.