The whole debate over the water levels at the Oroville Dam is soooo very revealing about the current relationship between people and government agencies. California's Department of Water Resources (DWR)-- the proven past FAILURES that control the water levels at the dam-- has raised the ire not only of the people of the Orovillle area, by CUTTING outflows to "fill 'er up," but also now several county commissioners.
With the lake now at 891.75"...and just a tad over 9' before a catastrophic overtopping-- which one upstream failure or four-inch rainstorm could easily do--THEY SHOULD, BY THEIR OWN WORDS, be dropping the water levels to leave a cushion for emergencies.
(Butte County Commissioner Bill Connelly.)
Check out this link:
https://www.chicoer.com/2019/05/23/county-concerned-over-lake-levels/
Here is an excerpt from above:
"I’m very concerned about the lake levels,' District 1 Supervisor Bill Connelly said Tuesday during the Board of Supervisors meeting. 'Lake Oroville is being run in an antiquated and linear matter. (DWR’s) priority seems to be water delivery instead of public safety. We need to move into the next century. Climate change is real here. We’ve had warm rain on snow before, and if we have warm rain on snow right now, it would be one of the worst disasters in the history in the state.'...
'It behooves us to write a letter to DWR to point out they need to move into the next century,' Connelly said. 'I hope you would support me in writing a letter to them suggesting they put public safety over water delivery. When we go to a meeting with them, they say they can’t do this because of the cost. Well that one out of 10 chance we get a (disastrous flood) is a much greater cost than moving into this century and doing what’s right for the public'."
(Image courtesy of hackaday.com.)
Mister Connelly was seconded in these assertions and statements by at least two other Butte County Commissioners. The article doesn't say if that was enough to get that letter written, but it is certainly encouraging that local officials are now speaking out, as that helps to raise public awareness of the potential hazards at the dam, and lessens the level of public derision on those of us who have been critical of DWR and their level of decision making.
I have to say that I totally agree with Mister Connelly that, at present, it sure looks like DWR is putting money before people, and I have to wonder if even that is the real motive for "filling her up" when that is against their own policies.