Mud Guyser Threatens CA 111 & UPRR near Niland in Imperial Co.

[Brian556]

From Weather.com:
https://weather.com/news/news/2018-11-01-california-mud-geyser-moving

Cant find exact location of guyser on Google Maps

[froggie]

According to the LA Times, this is the spot.  What looks like a small muddy pond there (on the south side of Gillespie Rd) was the location of the mud spring as of March, 2015.  It is now immediately across the rail tracks and due east of that small shack next to the tracks.

The Times article is much more in depth.

[kwellada]

Thanks for sharing that link.  I love reading about geological oddities like that.

[sparker]

Thanks for sharing that link.  I love reading about geological oddities like that.

I'd venture a guess that if UP were to build a permanent bridge over the mud spring's flow path, then Caltrans would likely follow suit with a similar facility on CA 111.  Obviously, either structure would have to be designed in such a way as to eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of the bents being themselves undermined by the mud -- i.e., with a substantial span.  Ideally, UP, Caltrans, and the owners of the fiber-optic lines and the pipes would collaborate on a joint facility -- but that sort of cooperation hasn't been seen since the opening of the CA 70/WP joint bridge over Oroville Lake in the early '60's.     

[andy3175]

Update on the "moving geyser" on SR 111 near Niland with video (article from March 18, 2021):

https://www.cbs8.com/mobile/article/news/local/moving-geyser-impacting-major-roadway-in-imperial-county/509-77982d5a-dbbe-4bc1-aabb-890d579f95fc

It's not something you normally see alongside a freeway, but, local Caltrans crews have been keeping a close watch on a geyser that's impacting both the Union Pacific Railroad and State Route 111 near Niland in Imperial County.

The challenge is that geyser is moving. Known as the Niland Geyser, it's the only moving geyser in the world.

Some describe it as a bubbling pool of mud, often referring to it as a mud pot.

Shawn Rizzutto with Caltrans says the geyser is releasing CO2.

It's been around since 1953. But, it didn't start moving until 2016 following some seismic activity in the area. ...

Instead, a temporary road was built parallel to the 111, wrapping drivers around the geyser.

"It's 50 feet from our existing roadway, but it's hundreds of feet from the new alignment we made for the detour," Rizzutto said.

Sheet pile walls were also constructed, as well as a sub-surface drainage system to help control the water being emitted, which some scientists estimate is around 40,000 gallons a day.

"With that amount of water, it creates a quick zone which is liquefaction for an area from the surface to 40-50 feet in depth,"  said Rizzutto.

Even with all those fixes, the geyser has the upper hand.

Initially moving southeast, it continued south, so Caltrans is now expanding the temporary roadway.

Their plan is to monitor the geyser until it moves far enough away to be able to repair the original 111 and make that a permanent road yet again for years to come. The cost of this project is around $19 million.