Feb 11, 2017

A gaping hole continues to grow in the spillway of America's tallest dam - causing massive erosion and threatening major overflow (".. The lake is a central piece of California's government-run water delivery network, supplying water for agriculture in the Central Valley and residents and businesses in Southern California. After years of drought Northern California has endured several months of exceptionally wet weather. Oroville and other lakes are brimming and have begun releasing water to make room for more runoff. The initial damage to the spillway occurred Tuesday, about 3,000 feet downstream from where water enters from the lake. The water flowing out of the hole quickly turned brown with mud as it consumed trees and soil before rejoining the main channel below in a massive confluence wave that sent up clouds of mist in the tree-lined canyon..")


By Associated Press
Published: 02:12 GMT, 10 February 2017 | Updated: 20:47 GMT, 10 February 2017

  • On Tuesday, a huge hole formed in the spillway of California's Oroville Dam
  • Officials say the hole will continue to grow until it hits bedrock 
  • Right now, the spillway isn't releasing enough water to keep up with the lake's intake 
  • So there's a threat that the lake will overflow at some point on Saturday, engaging an emergency spillway that hasn't been used since the dam was opened in 1968
  • If that happens, officials won't be able to control the water flow, and it can cause even more erosion as water sweeps through vegetation on its way down to the river below