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   From: morons@sfchronicle.com   
      
   OROVILLE, Calif. - The California Department of Water Resources   
   (DWR) said that if the weather trends continue it is unlikely it   
   will need to open the emergency spillway at Oroville Dam.   
      
   While the DWR increased its release to 65,000 cubic feet per   
   second down the severely damaged spillway at the Oroville Dam,   
   officials with the DWR quelled fears that residents will face   
   severe flooding.   
      
   "Our projections of the weather and the inflow into Lake   
   Oroville at this flow right now, we do not anticipate any water   
   going over the emergency spillway," said Eric See of the   
   Department of Water Resources.   
      
   But in case the emergency spillway, which has never been used in   
   the dam's 48-year history, is needed, crews cleared trees and   
   vegetation along the emergency spillway's path into the Feather   
   River Channel.   
      
   By 10 a.m. Friday the storm water and snow had brought water to   
   within five feet of the dam's capacity of 900 feet.   
      
   Butte County District 1 supervisor Bill Connelly said the DWR   
   should have released water much sooner.   
      
   "They didn't prepare in knowing in advance that there was a snow   
   pack way above average and it was projected that there were warm   
   rains coming," said Connelly, who grew up in Oroville and has   
   been involved in the dam's re-licensing for the last 14 years.   
      
   Recently a photograph surfaced showing crews working on a crack   
   in the same vicinity of the spillway in 2013. The State Division   
   of Dam Safety reported that the last inspection was performed in   
   2015 and was reportedly "visual" and at "some distance."   
      
   "This is evidence of a lack of correct maintenance that puts my   
   citizens at risk," said Connelly.   
      
   At Friday's news conference KRCR asked senior engineer Kevin   
   Dossey about that crack in the spillway from 2013.   
      
   "Obviously something has happened that we didn't expect to   
   happen," said Kevin Dossey, a senior engineer with the   
   Department of Water Resources. "I don't think anybody who is in   
   the inspection team or the repair team would say that more   
   should have been done because there wasn't more evidence that   
   more needed to be done."   
      
   The Department of Water Resources said it will notify the public   
   if and when the emergency spillway will be used, adding that the   
   integrity of the dam itself is secure.   
      
   Comments:   
      
   Teresa Van Beek   
   If it's defective, you should if fixed it. Not assume it's just   
   fine, due to how low our water supply was..Now it's a big deal   
   and people are now suffering. Like it or not, it's an issue..   
   Like · Reply · 5 · Feb 10, 2017 7:51pm   
      
   John Belmonte · Chico, California   
   Teresa : I been sayin' for over 20 years that we Americans   
   should be investin' in our country's Infrastructure... Does   
   anybody listen ? Do they (almost) all say " where's the $$$   
   going to come from ? " The young Generation inheriting this   
   country from us, got some hard decisions to make ! My Wife   
   commented on the spillway damage, so I walked her out into our   
   driveway, poured in the mid '60's, just like the spillway, and I   
   said " This concrete's just as old as Oroville Dam. " ( our   
   driveway's crumbling. ), see Teresa ? Time for our country to   
   rebuild. ... Almost EVERYTHING !! We have to ' find ' the money,   
   or else... Kiss it all " goodbye ". - John   
   Like · Reply · 1 · Feb 11, 2017 1:49pm   
      
   Lyle Wright   
   The inspections may have been lacking, will need to be improved.   
   As for those particular cracks, they have been "maintaining"   
   them for quite a while. They did some work in 2009 at the very   
   least. The releases were doing fine until the unexpected   
   spillway erosion problem. Plus locals scream over loss of   
   "Recreation Water". Butte County has acted like a spoiled child   
   with it's hand out, instead of having had professional   
   negotiators that could work WITH DWR..   
   Like · Reply · 2 · Feb 11, 2017 2:38pm   
      
   William A. Ferguson · Yuba City, California   
   If they have to open the emergency "spillway" (which isn't a   
   spillway, it's just a dirt trail) all that water is going to   
   chew up that side of the mountain in fairly short order and that   
   would be just as bad - if not worse - than the actual dam   
   failing.   
   Like · Reply · 2 · Feb 11, 2017 8:53am   
      
   Rashelle Short · Denair High   
   Stupid   
   Like · Reply · Feb 11, 2017 10:04am   
      
   Michael Ostrofsky   
   Rashelle Short Care to take that back now?   
   Like · Reply · 2 · 15 hrs   
      
   Susan Talbitzer Doane · Fresno, California   
   It should have been repaired in 2013. Being proactive might have   
   spared the people the agony they are facing today. Can't just   
   give it a once over and call it good. ?   
   Like · Reply · 14 hrs   
      
   Sal Cogliano   
   You hear it all the time oh oh boy there's a problem we have to   
   drain the dam and then sell it to Southern California   
   Like · Reply · Feb 11, 2017 6:57am   
      
   Briana Lee · Medical Assistant at Dr. Chandramouli's Office   
   It's not sold to them, it's given to them.   
   Like · Reply · Feb 11, 2017 7:58am   
      
      
   --   
   More than a decade ago, federal and state officials and some of   
   California’s largest water agencies rejected concerns that the   
   massive earthen spillway at Oroville Dam — at risk of collapse   
   Sunday night and prompting the evacuation of 185,000 people —   
   could erode during heavy winter rains and cause a catastrophe.   
      
   Those agencies included the Metropolitan Water District of   
   Southern California, which provides water to 19 million people   
   in Los Angeles, San Diego and other areas, along with the State   
   Water Contractors, an association of 27 agencies that buy water   
   from the state of California through the State Water Project.   
   The association includes the Metropolitan Water District, Kern   
   County Water Agency, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and   
   the Alameda County Water District.   
        
      
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