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Man flies drone into lake's 'glory hole' where someone once got sucked into and died

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Updated 16:42 9 Mar 2023 GMTPublished 16:41 9 Mar 2023 GMT

Man flies drone into lake's 'glory hole' where someone once got sucked into and died

Monticello Dam is known for its uncontrolled morning-glory-type spillway

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

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A YouTuber got a close-up look at Monticello Dam by flying their drone right above the lake's 'glory hole' where someone once tragically died.

Watch below:

Located in the Vaca Mountains in Napa County, California, is the seventh largest man-made lake in the state.

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The 300 foot high concrete arch dam - which was constructed between 1953 and 1957 - is locally known as the 'glory hole'.

You can figure out for yourself why that is the case.

So the dam is home to a morning glory-type spillway, which is 72ft in diameter, deep at the lip.

When the lake reaches 1,602,000 acre-feet, with a reservoir elevation of 440ft above sea level, water spills over its lip naturally.

Despite the frightening thought of getting sucked into a water hole, viewers are stunned by its 'hypnotic' views.
YouTube/NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias

But the last time the reservoir naturally spilled through the glory hole was said to be on 26 February, 2019.

However, back in 2017, Matt Casias, who runs the YouTube channel, NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias, provided us with a close up of the glory hole and the site where one person sadly died.

Emily Schwalek, of Davis, is only known death of the spillway drain.

In 1997, the swimmer died after being caught in the current and was tragically swept down the pipe, after holding on to the rim for about 20 minutes.

I can't think of a much more horrible way to die to be honest.

Swimming near the glory hole has since been prohibited, as you can imagine.

A YouTuber got a close-up look at Monticello Dam by flying their drone right above the lake's 'glory hole'.
YouTube/NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias

Despite the frightening thought of getting sucked into a water hole, viewers are stunned by its 'hypnotic' views.

"Well done, nice to see the whole hole and not just the top side. Looks like it is functioning as it should. Thanks for the vid!" one person commented.

Another added: "This is the best video of the Glory Hole that I have seen. Awesome, thanks."

While a third viewer said: "This is so f**king hypnotic."

Someone else wrote: "Nice drone work. Thanks for showing where the water comes out, too. Not many do that. Would've preferred the water sound to the music."

Recreational use of the lake has been declining since 2008.

Back in the day, 1.3 million visitors used to visit the lake each year. That number has now dropped to less than 400,000.

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias
Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

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@Anish_Vij

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