ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Videos
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Man flies drone into lake's 'glory hole' where someone once got sucked into and died
Home>Lifestyle>Travel
Published 15:26 17 Apr 2024 GMT+1

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

Monticello Dam is famous for its 'glory hole'

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

The Monticello Dam is the seventh largest man-made lake in the Vaca Mountains, located in Napa County, California.

Locally known as the 'glory hole', the lake became famous after someone tragically died from falling in the spillway.

Well, one man decided to fly his drone into the 'glory hole' to see what it was really like. Take a look:

Advert

The 300 foot high arch dam is made fully out of concrete and is 72ft in diameter, deep at the lip.

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

This causes a morning glory-type spillway.

However, the last time the reservoir spilled naturally was on 26 February, 2019.

Back in 2017, Matt Casias, who runs the YouTube channel, NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias, provided us with a close up look of the glory hole and specifically the site where a person once died.

Monticello Dam is known for its uncontrolled morning-glory-type spillway. (YouTube/NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias)
Monticello Dam is known for its uncontrolled morning-glory-type spillway. (YouTube/NorCal H.I.D. Matt Casias)

Emily Schwalek, of Davis, is the only known person to have died from the spillway drain.

In 1997, the swimmer died after being caught in the current and was tragically swept down the pipe.

She held onto the rim for about 20 minutes before falling down.

As you can imagine, swimming near the glory hole has since been prohibited, for obvious reasons.

Recreational use of the lake has also 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.

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.

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)
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)

A second 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."

A fourth viewer said: "As a person who is scared of water and height, I find this so terrifying."

"Nice drone work. Thanks for showing where the water comes out, too. Not many do that," commented a fifth.

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

Topics: Travel, World News, US News

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]

X

@Anish_Vij

Recommended reads

Mara Wilson says a Matilda sequel is 'possible' but admits there are 'some issues' Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesOlivia Wilde says she's 'intrigued' by 'bedroom divorce' trend and thinks it could be a good thing for couplesGilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesEnzo Fernandez speaks out after costly World Cup final red card Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesLionel Messi breaks silence after World Cup final defeat that ended with 'disgraceful' scenes Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
9 hours ago
12 hours ago
2 days ago
  • Getty Stock Photo
    7 hours ago

    Oncologist's warning over 'silent symptoms' of cancer most people ignore for months

    Many early symptoms are not dramatic to begin with, and it's not worth waiting for them to be

    Lifestyle
  • SWNS
    9 hours ago

    Woman who battled skin cancer three times issues stark warning over 'tanmaxxing' trend

    She's warning people they could end up suffering for it in later years

    Lifestyle
  • Instagram/edda.elisa
    12 hours ago

    Influencer who was ‘stopped from boarding flight' over outfit now banned from local gym

    The gym said she 'repeatedly violated house rules', but she says otherwise

    Lifestyle
  • Instagram/@Willtenny
    2 days ago

    Man ate ‘Blue Zone diet’ for seven days to show off impact it had on body

    Fitness influencer Will Tennyson tried the 'restrictive' diet and documented the results

    Lifestyle
  • Ryanair passenger was partially sucked out of plane window before wife saved him, details emerge
  • Ryanair passenger saved from being sucked out of plane after window breaks mid-flight
  • Huge update in case after man died when being sucked into MRI machine wearing metal chain
  • Chilling moment underwater drone dropped to bottom of the Great Blue Hole captures footage that will 'terrify the world'