Despite being the tallest in the U.S. (770 feet), the Oroville Dam has suffered major damages in the past month, inflicting hysteria and worry in the towns nearby.

Beginning in mid-January, heavy rainfall caused the Feather River to overflow, nearly pushing the dam’s capacity to its point of saturation and alarming California’s state Department of Water Resources. Reservoir releases of about 10,000 cubic feet per second were monitored for approximately three and a half weeks until debris and further damage to the dam had to be inspected and repaired. At this time, spillway releases increased to 54,500 cubic feet per second.

On February 11th, Lake Oroville reached its top capacity of 901 feet, causing water to run over the emergency spillway for the first time in the fifty years the dam has existed. The following day, abrasion on the right side of the spillway advanced until officials feared the collapse of the ground under the dam, ordering 188,000 citizens in nearby towns to evacuate within minutes. The Department of Water Resources increased the releases to 100,000 cubic feet per second and drained the spillway until the erosion could be gauged. For the next few days, and most likely for the following weeks and months, repairs to the emergency spillway will be made as evacuation orders will remain in place. Progress will be assessed by the state and possibilities of future issues with the dam are being cautioned and prepared for.