Lake Oroville Dam Spillway Damage Results in Evacuation Orders to 188,000 People

21st Century Wire says…

The Oroville dam in Northern California has sustained sink hole damage in the main spillway and over 188,000 residents of the local area have been told to evacuate. Helicopters are being prepared to drop rocks into areas of erosion to try to prevent ground from eroding further downstream of the primary and the never before used secondary, passive spillways at the dam.

ABC10 noted late last week that the amount of water in the Oroville dam is challenging the design of the dam (due to the sink hole having formed in the spillway which required the outflow to be slowed) with 185,000 cubic feet of water per second are coming into the dam and only 41,000 going out.

There is a passive spillway that has now been put to use as the water levels rise and more rain is expected later this week, but its unknown what the down stream effects will be as this auxiliary spillway has never been used before. It has the potential of causing a lot of damage spilling downstream into the Feather River and towards residential areas. Reports indicate they have increased the outgoing water from the main spillway to lessen the potential damage of the use of the passive spillway.

Join ABC10 below for live updates and ongoing reports on this developing situation at the Oroville Dam.

ABC 10

At least 188,000 people living downstream of California’s Oroville Dam were ordered to evacuate late Sunday as officials said an emergency spillway was dangerously eroding and a failure could cause uncontrolled floodwaters to pour out of the lake.

Water began flowing over the emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam in Northern California on Saturday for the first time in its nearly 50-year history after heavy rainfall.

Evacuation orders still in place. We will work to keep updating everyone. Be safe. https://t.co/xjYGk6B8VF

— Yuba County (@YubaCounty) February 13, 2017

Crews are hard at work reinforcing the integrity of the levee adjacent to Tyler Island. Stay tuned to our social media for continued updates pic.twitter.com/6UIgIbCjWm

— SacramentoOES (@SacramentoOES) February 13, 2017

The Paradise Alliance Church is not longer accepting new evacuees. If seeking shelter visit https://t.co/zmTLivT9tA for updated list.

— Butte County, CA (@CountyofButte) February 13, 2017

Butte County offices in the Oroville area will remain CLOSED tomorrow due to the #OrovilleSpillway evacuations. @ButteSheriff @CA_DWR

— Butte County, CA (@CountyofButte) February 13, 2017

Continue this developing story with live updates at ABC10

READ MORE US NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire US Files

SUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV

21st Century Wire is an alternative news agency designed to enlighten, inform and educate readers about world events which are not always covered in the mainstream media.