“Taking into account the current level of risk, the predicted strength of the next round of inclement weather and the capacity of the lake to accommodate increased inflow associated with those storms, we have concluded that it is safe to reduce the immediate evacuation order, currently in place, to an evacuation warning.”
That was Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea speaking Tuesday afternoon.
What that means is that 188,000 North State residents, many who fled their homes with little notice, have been allowed to return home. Danger remains, but officials with the Department of Water Resources appeared confident that Oroville dam and its damaged spillways will withstand coming storms.
Large scale but makeshift emergency repairs are underway on the damaged emergency spillway. Officials said helicopters have been dropping bags of boulders every 90 seconds since Monday night to shore up weak points along the emergency spillway. Pumper trucks are dumping concrete slurry at key sites as well. Officials said about 30 tons of rock is being added per hour.
Meanwhile, officials continue to dump 100,000 cubic feet per second from the reservoir, hoping to create enough space to hold snowmelt and rain from incoming storms. The latest data this morning, shows lake levels need to go down another 29 feet to reach DWR's goal of getting the lake down to flood control stage – which is 850 feet.
The National Weather Service is predicting as much as 9 inches of rain will fall in the reservoir’s catchment area through next Tuesday.
Bill Croyle is acting director of DWR:
“With the snow level dropping from about 6,000 to 4,000, which will help us, and these high flow rates that will again make more storage and the next four storms should not threaten really any approaching any kind of a threat towards the emergency spillway. At the same time, I want to reiterate, as the sheriff said, ‘We’re aggressively attacking the erosion concerns that have been identified.’”
Cal Fire Chief Scott McClain said the public should use the emergency as a wake-up call, and to keep emergency supplies on hand at all times, in case another evacuation is ordered. He recommended having clothing, medicines food and a three-day supply of drinking water.
According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, officials brushed aside warnings from environmental groups a dozen years ago that the emergency spillway needed strengthening. The paper reports, irrigation districts and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, who would be on the hook for most of the cost, balked and officials didn’t force the issue.
State Sen. Jim Nielsen said it’s fairly normal for people, and by extension agencies, not to prepare for theoretical risks.
“It’s the natural complacency of human beings,” he said. “Human beings tend to react to emergency situations. When you don’t have an emergency, and there’s money that could go into the spillway to improve it, oh, well, that’s not a priority.”
The reservoir is funded through a complicated formula, including some federal and state funds, though much of the money comes from agricultural and residential ratepayers who use water passing through Oroville reservoir.