DWR May Avoid Emergency Release From Oroville Dam
OROVILLE (CBS13/AP) - State officials say they believe they can avoid emergency releases from a key Northern California reservoir while still protecting the Oroville Dam.
The California Department of Water Resources said Friday that it significantly bumped up releases from Lake Oroville, even though that means further sacrificing a rapidly deteriorating concrete spillway.
UPDATE from below the spillway. Caltrans/ PG&E / DWR working to clear the emergency spillway (left of water) as a contingency. pic.twitter.com/Jj8Al917rl
— Drew Bollea (@Drew_WCCB) February 10, 2017
They expect that water flowing out of the dam will catch up with the torrent flowing in from recent storms by sometime Saturday. That could save them from having to use an emergency spillway for the first time in the reservoir's 48-year history.
The department does not expect the higher flows to cause flooding. They say the dam is sound and there is no public danger.
Earlier this week, unexpected erosion chewed through the spillway, sending chunks of concrete flying.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.