Oroville Dam Spillway Shut Down Again for Further Repairs

The California Department of Water Resources shut down the Oroville Dam spillway again on Monday, March 27, in order to complete more repairs.

Work on the damaged spillway includes removing debris, rebuilding access roads, reinforcing its base and slopes and inspecting the emergency spillway, according to a news report. Officials hope to have the spillway ready for regular use by November 1, but they intend to use the spillway if the lake rises above 860 feet.

Erosion was discovered on the dam’s spillway in February, raising concern the highest dam in the US could breach. Mandatory evacuations were put into place but were later rescinded to advisories. Butte County officials last week lifted all evacuation orders for the area, though they warned they could reinstate orders at any time. Credit: California Department of Water Resources via Storyful