Dam risk prompts California evacuation

Nearly 200,000 people have been ordered to flee their homes after a spillway at the tallest dam in the U.S. was weakened by heavy rainfall

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CRISIS COUNTDOWN

Feb 9: Engineers begin releasing water from dam after noticing large chunks of concrete missing from emergency spillway

Lake Oroville

Emergency spillway

Oroville Dam Height: 230m Built: 1962-68


Feb 12: Authorities issue evacuation orders saying spillway could collapse

Feb 13: Situation remains unpredictable though water no longer flowing over eroded spillway


Thermalito afterbay

Oroville airport

F e a t h e r  R i v e r

Thermalito forebay

2km 1.25 miles

Thermalito diversion pool

Oroville Dam

Sacramento

Spillway

Oroville Pop: 16,000

CALIFORNIA

Dam

L a k e  O r o v i l l e


Evacuation orders in place for 188,000 people in Oroville and nearby areas


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Source: California Department of Water Resources 

Pictures: AP, Google Earth 

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