There are many video captures that show how the supposed black hole in California is swallowing a lake. The phenomenon is spectacular, to the point where it seems supernatural. But what is causing this event? Is it true or is it a montage well done?
The Glory Hole Background
The Berryesa Valley was a prosperous agricultural territory, with the most fertile soils in the North American nation. However, the city of Monticello had to be evacuated to make way for the dam, a mega-project that would be built between 1953 and 1958.
The project was known as the Solano Project and linked the Monticello Dam, Lake Berryessa, Lake Solano and an extensive water distribution network. Although the residents of this region opposed its construction, they were eventually expelled from their homes.
Many of their belongings were auctioned off, their houses destroyed and the earth fertile disappeared in the midst of the announced flood. The authorities made a commitment to the population to relocate the cemetery.
The interest in building a reservoir was evident from the year 1900so several engineers had concluded that this area had the greatest potential since 1907. The discovery of gold in its surroundings led to a massive influx of prospectors.
All of this has resulted in ever-increasing water requirements for Solano County to meet its needs. Finally, the decision was made that it would be in a place known as “the devil’s gate” where the dam would be built. This happened in 1940.
The local residents they speak of the dam with some trepidation and mention a sinister presence lurking in the background, although they do not speak the black hole of California. They only refer to the large number of disappeared and drowned in recent years.
Between myth and reality
Assuming that these disappearances are real, the population elaborates different stories in which the versions differ. Some believe that drownings are the result of irresponsible vacationers who get drunk and then decide to swim in the lake.
Meanwhile, others think that the human remains that are discovered come from the cemetery that existed and that it was never relocated, as the authorities had promised. Finally, some leave open the possibility that it is something evil that inhabits the lake, but they do not refer to the black hole in California as the possible culprit.
Nevertheless, on these versions there is no reliable documentation that supports them. What there is reliable information about is the case known as “the zodiac killer.” Apparently, he was an unbalanced person who had a habit of killing his victims on the banks of the lake and then denouncing himself to the authorities as the perpetrator.
Despite tracking this serial killer since 1969, the authorities never managed to catch him. Facts like this are added to the current ones to create an enigmatic atmosphere, which attracts the attention of people from all over.
The truth about the California black hole
What at one point seemed to be a geological fault or, as some thought, a portal to another dimension, It turned out to be a kind of siphon that the Monticello dam presents. This structure was conceived from the beginning of its construction and fulfills the function of controlling the water level when it exceeds its limit.
In other words, the dam has a specific water storage capacity; however, during the rainy season, its level rises. To prevent an overflow, the excess water is diverted to this drain to be taken to other spaces.
This monumental concrete structure is 22 meters in diameter and 100 meters deep. The drain is activated only when the water level exceeds 134 meters deep and is capable of swallowing 1.3 million liters of water per second. So the California black hole does exist, but it is not what many assume.
This is what the videos show —made with drones— and that went viral during the month of February 2019. Faced with so many extravagant facts for which there is no convincing explanation, this event undoubtedly ended up being a great disappointment. The alleged California black hole was not a black hole as such, but a feat of engineering.
Other facts about the California black hole
Despite all of the above, the admiration and fear aroused by this type of work made by human beings is undeniable, before which there is no other option but to be overwhelmed. At this point, it is worth clarifying that some of the images and videos that have been spread on this site are faked.
It is unusual for this sink to become active; in fact, in recent years it has only happened in 2012 and 2019. This occurs because the water level is required to grow exponentially, which it only happens in atypical winter seasons, when it rains more than expected.
Likewise, it is true that several tragedies have occurred in this region that stimulate people’s imagination, such as the one that happened in 1997, when a woman who swam in the lake was swept away by the alleged California black hole and died.
The paradox of this story is that the people who live around the place think that the so-called black hole in California is a completely normal place. Meanwhile, visitors find it supernatural.