Repair Crews Dump Boulders In Attempted Fix For Oroville Dam Spillway

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Repair crews are done repairing the backup spillway for the day, but still have a massive amount of boulders to deliver. And they haven't said when the operation will resume.

Repair crews spent all day Monday trucking in the massive boulders, using bobcats to lift them and fill bags, line them up, and prepare for the drops.

Pilots are using heavy duty helicopters with slings underneath to lift the rocks --and dump them into the hole that formed in the spillway.

The concern is making sure the emergency spillway is contained in the event it has to be used again.

The Department of Water Resources reiterates the dam is sound, but the situation could change at the spillway with the upcoming storms that threaten to fill Lake Oroville more than it can handle.

In that case the emergency spillway is needed to divert water from being unleashed into towns and rivers.

In the event of a catastrophe, federal officials are getting involved. Rep. Doug LaMalfa spoke at a news conference today assuring his constituents that The Army core of engineers is here to help.

He says 20 percent of the dam was paid for by the federal government -- that is 750,000 acre-feet --belonging to the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control. The rest is the state's responsibility. So the congressman says the White House is aware and making decisions now.

"We'll be working with the governor's office as well as we're in contact with the White House. One of the end goals here is to get through this crisis with no loss of life, but also to immediately go restore the spillway again," said LaMalfa.

Officials say it's unclear how long it'll take for them to fix the spillway; Or how many more tons of rocks they plan to drop into the hole.

The Deptartment of Water Resources tell us will hold its next official press conference noon Tuesday.