Oroville Dam Floodgates Opened for 1st Time Since February

The floodgates at Oroville Dam in California were re-opened on Friday, March 17, for the first time since the end of February. The dam has been releasing water up to 50,000 cubic feet per second since, according to a press release.

The flow in the Feather River also increased because of the release, and Lake Oroville’s level has dropped approximately four feet per day. The California Department of Water Resources expected to maintain the water flow for five to six days in order to bring down the lake level in order to provide sufficient storage for rain and snowmelt.

The flow from the lake had been halted at the end of February in order to allow workers to repair and stabilize the dam’s damaged spillway. Workers have removed 1.25 million cubic yards from the base of the spillway, with an expected 1.7 million cubic yards to be removed, according to a report.

Also, cracks were cleaned and filled, concrete was reconnected to the surrounding earth, and the walls were stabilized, the report said.

The costs to fix the spillway were around $100 million in February, the report said, with March estimates not available yet.

Erosion and cracks were found in and around the spillway in early February amid heavy rainstorms that brought the lake level up. Authorities evacuated the town in fears of the dam breaching. People were allowed home after several days. Credit: California Department of Water Resources via Storyful