They just lifted the Oroville evac orders.

[B2G]

Why would they do that if they are facing a full week of rain starting tomorrow night??

I don't understand this decision. At all.

[Warpy]

1. Maybe they think the rain won't be nearly as heavy this time

and that enough pressure was relieved by the damaged spillways that the dam will hold up.

Or maybe they have boundless faith in their temporary fix or just want miserable people in shelters to be able to go home for a few days.

Could be a lot of things.

[Kber]

2. I assume (hope) that they were able to examine the

Structure and found it to be safe?

[global1]

3. Who Makes This Decision?.....

I wouldn't want to be that person. Just think if this fix that they made - doesn't hold. It could wipe out a lot of people. I think I'd err on the cautious side. With the rain that is facing this area in the next few days - it seems to me that they are playing with fire.

[pinboy3niner]

4. They lowered the water level enough that the res has the capacity to handle it. nt

[B2G]

5. They'd better be positive it will hold

Given the coming rai ns. If I lived there, I will wait and see.

[Retrograde]

6. The dam seems to be ok, it's the spillway

the channel that's supposed to send the overflow to the Feather River in a controlled fashion rather than spewing all over the place, like it's been doing.

[B2G]

7. Yes I know

But it's the damage spillway that caused the evac in the first place. It's been patched, not repaired.

[global1]

8. If I Lived In The Evacuated Area....

of course I'd like to go back to my own home - but given the gravity of this situation - I think I'd stay away at least until the predicted rains passed the area.

I'm sure there is immense pressure on the officials to rescind the evacuation order. I'm sure businesses are concerned about the loss of revenue related to the evacuation.

I just hope that the decision to let people back into the area wasn't made for $ reasons.

Has there been any economic impact statements made as to what this will cost this area and the state?

[AngryAmish]

9. Today is Tuesday.

Rain starts Thursday. Give people a chance to get prepared. I would not be downstream. Pack up real well, rent a storage locker for the valuables out of the flood zone and go watch baseball.

[B2G]

10. But that involves

Letting 200k come back in, only to reevacuate a day later. Crazy.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Colder storms with less intensity predicted translate to more snow and less immediate runoff

Plus the have a handle on the spillways. It's a dicey but totally manageable situation at this point.

[B2G]

12. Well that is certainly good news.

It just seemed like a rapid about face.

[Brother Buzz]

13. The rapid about face happened when they discovered the (never before tested) emergency spillway....

did not perform as advertised Sunday night, and went to plan B: Reopen the main spillway, and to Hell with causing further damage to it. They were able to drop the lake level within three hours. The eggheads up there are really fighting two and three fronts and appear to be winning.

[AngryAmish]

14. The emergency spillway should never have been used.

It fell apart in hours because it was not maintained for decades. It was a forest, which should never have been done.

The soils under the main spillway have dried a bit. After a week of rains...Here is hoping.

If wet soils lift the main spillway, it will retreat back. Then they have to let the lake rise. Overtop the emergency spillway...And hope the new rock holds.

[B2G]

15. From what I've read, trees should never

Have been allowed to grow there. They are uprooted by the water, rootball and all, accelerating the rapid erosion and soil displacement.

[Brother Buzz]

16. Truth be told, the best minds thought the emergency spillway would never be used

That was then this is now.

All the things you mentioned have been addressed, and more. They are fighting a multipronged attack and mostly have a handle on it; they now have confidence the main spillway will limp through the wet season dumping 100,000 FPS (more as they continue to airlift additional rock into the hole). If Mother Nature is reasonably kind and they get past the first storm, things will start looking good, considering it could have gone south faster then you can spit.