OROVILLE,
Calif. (March 22, 2017) – Effective immediately, Butte County Sheriff Kory L.
Honea has lifted all evacuation warnings and advisories for Butte County
residents previously affected by the February 12th Oroville Dam
spillway emergency evacuations.
“These past
six weeks have been a very difficult and unsettling time for many individuals
and families affected by the danger posed by fast-moving erosion to the
emergency spillway,” said Sheriff Honea. “I couldn’t be more proud of
this community and the countless unsung heroes who helped their neighbors and
cared for those who needed it most.”
“I feel
satisfied with the progress made in reinforcing the primary spillway, emergency
spillway and returning the Hyatt Powerhouse to an operational state, as well as
the successful efforts by the California Department of Water Resources to lower
the lake level enough to buffer for future storms,” said Honea. In the
coming few months, work will continue to manage the spring runoff inflows to
the reservoir.
Additional
work continues on the primary spillway, the area
below the emergency spillway, access roads, and other areas eroded by the
emergency spillway runoff. Rock benches and check dams are being constructed to
slow water and minimize erosion should the emergency spillway ever need to be
used again. Sheriff Honea urges all
residents to ensure they have an emergency plan and supplies ready for any and
all emergencies that may come up throughout the spring season. An evacuation
plan has been developed, and may be accessed by visiting www.buttecounty.net/OEM.
As a
reminder, this is the spring runoff season. Water levels and flood concerns can
change in the region’s waterways.
It is also
important to keep informed by following reliable and accurate sources of
information. Follow the Butte County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook and
Twitter, sign up for emergency mass notifications at www.buttecounty.net/emergencymassnotification,
and bookmark www.buttecounty.net.
Residents
can view additional information about the Butte County Sheriff’s Office on
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/bcsonews/
For
information on lake condition, including lake levels, inflows, and outflows
visit: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/resDetailOrig.action?resid=ORO
For a
timeline of events regarding the Oroville spillway
incident: http://www.water.ca.gov/oroville-spillway/index.cfm
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