As Oroville Dam Spillway Water Stops, Crews Get First Look At Large Project Ahead

OROVILLE (CBS13) — Crews are beginning to inspect the damaged main spillway at the Oroville Dam, without water flowing down it.

Inspectors are getting a first glance at the massive engineering project that has been reduced to rubble, worn down and turned into a crater-filled concrete water slide.

Operators turned off the spillway flow Monday so that crews can plan a fix, and also remove debris that has shut down the reservoir's power plant.

"As we move through this next 5 to 7 days, our goal is to aggressively attack this diversion pile," Department of Water Resources acting director Bill Croyle said.

The Butte County Sheriff announced that he may lift voluntary evacuation orders if the power plant is put back online--because it can also pump water out of the reservoir.