I, obviously, do not fully understand how floodgates work. I know some can be opened and closed. Is there not some way to retrofit them so that they would not allow a boat to go thru except at a lock?

Even when we have been on Gantt Lake down here and the weather was great and the water fairly calm, it still made me very nervous to get closer than a couple hundred yards from the dam there because of the fear of going over/through it. It was probably unfounded, but it was there anyway.

No.

Don't go to Demopolis, you'll freak out !

If they put up some kind of a grid/screen/bars etc. they would have to spend a fortune keeping logs and other trash from building up against it. The best cure is for boaters to be aware of their surroundings and not get to close to start with. A good anchor and plenty of rope would be a better than nothing backup plan.

As long as the gates are not spilling it would be hard but not impossible to go over.

Every dam has a minimum approach distance clearly posted. Obey those rules and use common sense safety measures, you got no problem.

Believe it or not there is some things in life that still require common sense

Like I said in the other post, multiple bad decisions led to the missing boaters, To continue with a tournament on a lake at flood level is not a good idea. To decide to launch a boat that is having engine problems is never a good idea even in ideal weather and conditions just to name two. I consider myself an average boater. But I have enough fear or respect of the water to not push my limits or my boats.

I’ve worked in several of the Dams on the Coosa River, and the one on Smith Lake. Every time I’ve ever been at one they’ve only had the gates open a few inches. Even last year when there was so much flooding, they were still only opened a few inches. I can’t even imagine the water being high enough to open a gate enough for a boat to go through. What folks don’t realize is that even when the gates are barely opened, there is still quite a “pull” of water, causing quite a current. If something gets loose on the water, everything from sticks, to basketballs, to boats, they eventually wind up at the dam.

I had a friend of mine many years ago had been to a party on the river. He was drunk and headed back to his home on the river. He passed out and went thru the Wheeler dam spillway. Yes he lived to tell about it. By the grace of God he’s still alive.

The sheer power of water is an unbelievable thing.
Guntersville Dam trembles and shakes when they’re NOT spilling water, just generating. You can see it with a glass of water sitting on the table in the conference room.
You don’t want to be anywhere near a Tennessee River dam in a boat when we’ve had water like we’ve had this month.

Water always wins.

I have a video that I took at Guntersville Dam on February 8 that shows the floodgates open and high enough above the lake water pouring thru that you can see between the gates and the water rushing thru. One gate, in the center of the spillway, is completely removed. THIS is flood control in action. There are MULTITUDES of people that don't understand this. I grew up practically within sight of Guntersville Dam, worked telecomm in the TVA dams in the late 90s and have been down in the innards of all of them. They are amazing structures, especially for the era in which they were built.

I'd be glad to text my video to anybody wanting it. Just send me a PM.

The water at normal height is high enough to flow through the flood gates on the two dams I’m most familiar with. Here’s a picture showing how wide the gates can open.

PM sent Wiley. I’d like to see that. Thanks

I've spent a lot of time on the Mississippi River and in backwaters behind islands and control structures. Had a motor that caught a prop on a submerged wing dike one time during high water...makes you think fish aren't important real fast when your life is in danger. . I'm older and don't take those risks (as much) anymore. But those stripers, crappie, and large mouth were hard not to go after when they stack up in flooded conditions.

Video sent to all who requested. It is slow to send so it may take a little while.

if the water gets high enough in flood stage, it can actually go over the gates. on Demopolis, there are no gates it's pretty much a water fall. my friend there says he has seen times when there was no drop to the next pool the water allowed you to just keep running down river. Its really crazy to run to the South end and see no dam.

I have pics (somewhere) of Guntersville Dam, in 1994 I believe, with the water just flowing thru and not really any fall to it.

After seeing the bottom side of Demopolis that story is hard to believe from where I was standing perch, I couldn’t imagine that. Crazy high