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Evacuation lifted for 200K Californians living below dam

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) - Nearly 200,000 Northern Californians who live downstream of the country's tallest dam were allowed to return home Tuesday after two nights of uncertainty, but they were warned they may still have to again flee to higher ground on a moment's notice if hastily made repairs to the battered structure don't hold.

The fixes could be put to their first test later this week with first of a series of small storms forecast for the region.

But the real test is still to come in the weeks ahead when a record amount of snowfall melts in nearby mountains.

"There is the prospect that we could issue another evacuation order if the situation changes and the risk increases," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Tuesday, telling residents they could return home but to remain vigilant.

Residents living below the Oroville Dam were suddenly ordered to evacuate Sunday afternoon after water authorities had assured them for nearly a week that the dam was sound despite a gaping and growing hole found in the structure's main spillway. The order came after authorities feared an earthen emergency spillway used when the lake behind the dam overflows its capacity appeared ready to fail Sunday because of erosion.

Over the weekend, the swollen lake spilled down the unpaved emergency spillway for nearly 40 hours, leaving it badly eroded. The problem occurred six days after engineers discovered a growing hole in the dam's main concrete spillway.

State and federal officials ignored calls in 2005 from environmental groups to armor the earthen spillway in concrete to prevent erosion. Federal regulators concluded the earthen spillway could handle a large amount of overflow after water agencies that would have had to pay for the upgrade argued it was unnecessary.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, a Democrat who represents an area near Oroville, called the government's failure to coat the spillway in concrete "a classic case of woulda, coulda, shoulda."

He said that if the state had listened to the 2005 warnings and installed the concrete a decade ago, "This problem would not have occurred. But they didn't, and there are probably multiple reasons why," with cost a crucial one.

The California Department of Water Resources said both holes had been repaired and the dam was ready to handle rain and melting snow. State water officials said they have drained enough of the lake behind Oroville Dam that the emergency spillway will not be needed to handle runoff from an approaching storm.

Forecasts call for 2 inches to 4 inches of rain and snow in the foothills and mountains starting Wednesday night. But the storm was looking colder than initially projected, meaning less snow and less runoff than last week's storms.

Acting department chief Bill Croyle said 40 trucks have dumped 30 tons of bags loaded with sand, concrete blocks and boulders every hour into the damaged areas, while helicopters have dropped bags of rocks onto the problem sites.

The damaged main spillway has been stable for four days and handling a heavy flow of water, significantly reducing the reservoir's water level in preparation for coming snow and melting snow.

"We still have a large snowpack; we will see quite a spring runoff," Croyle said.

Croyle said the goal is to keep the reservoir below capacity so the use of the auxiliary spillway wouldn't be used. Still, Croyle said that spillway has been repaired and that he's confident it could be used again if needed.

Gov. Jerry Brown said late Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved his request for federal assistance with the Oroville dam situation.

Meanwhile, federal regulators have told the dam's managers at the state water resources department that they must enlist a group of "independent consultants" both to assess what went wrong and how to make long-term fixes to the damaged spillways. When state inspectors last visited the dam in August, they wrote that "conditions appeared to be normal" in the concrete spillway, according to inspection reports the water resources department has released.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said earlier that President Donald Trump "was keeping a close eye" on the situation.

State officials clearly were on the defensive about their decision to call for mass evacuations Sunday, just a few hours after saying the situation was stable, forcing families to rush to pack up and get out.

Honea said Tuesday that the call to order nearly 200,000 people to higher ground protected lives and bought time for water experts to address the problems.

But after two days away from home, tens of thousands of evacuees were growing weary. They welcomed the news they could return home.

"You don't appreciate home until it's taken away from you," said Margaret Johnston, 69, of Oroville, who spent two nights at a church with her two sons. She had packed a few blankets, pillows and clothes into a black garbage bag.

Returning residents vowed to heed the sheriff's warning to remain vigilant.

Rod Remocal said he and his wife would now be ready to leave their Biggs home near the dam at a moment's notice after fleeing in a rush Sunday.

"We're all coming back and pack and be ready this time," Remocal said. "This time we're going to be on call like they said."

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Elias reported from San Francisco.

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Contributing to this report were Olga R. Rodriguez, Kristin Bender and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco; Don Thompson in Sacramento; Ellen Knickmeyer in Sonoma, California; and John Antczak and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles.

Truck after truck line the Oroville Dam roadway as the effort to stabilize the emergency spillway continues Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. Officials say the decision to lift the evacuation order for nearly 200,000 people living below a damaged dam in California has taken into account updated weather forecasts. A storm later this week is expected to be colder, with less rain. (Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) The Associated Press
Anthony Bradley, 12, center right, of Oroville, Calif., leaves a shelter with some balloons alongside his one-year-old niece Aunia Steele after a mandatory evacuation was lifted Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
Young evacuees gather their belongings as they prepare to leave a shelter Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
Brandon Moua, left, and his brother Justin, of Oroville, Calif., fold a blanket as they prepared to leave a shelter Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, Edith Adeyta, left, shows Jesus and Omar Rojo where to leave their pregnant ewes at the evacuation center at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, Calif. Authorities on Tuesday lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) The Associated Press
Rylan Moua, left, and his uncle Christopher Vang, right, of Oroville, Calif., gather pillows as they leave a shelter Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
Evacuees converge outside of a shelter Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, Gerldeen Trammell, right, sits in her family's car with her daughter and grandchildren from Oroville at the evacuation center at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, Calif. Authorities on Tuesday lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) The Associated Press
Evacuees listen to an announcement lifting the evacuation of the Oroville Dam communities Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Chico, Calif. Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday for thousands of California residents who live below the nation's tallest dam after declaring that the risk of catastrophic collapse of a damaged spillway had been significantly reduced. ( AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
Bill Croyle, acting director of the Department of Water Resources, discusses the repairs on the emergency spillway of Oroville Dam during a news conference Tuesday, Feb. 14 2017, in Oroville, Calif. The evacuation order that was put in place Sunday out of concerns the dam's emergency spillway could fail was lifted allowing people to return home. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Associated Press
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, left, answers a question concerning his decision to lift the evacuation order and allow people to return home, as Bill Croyle, acting director of the Department of Water Resources, right, looks on during a news conference Tuesday, Feb. 14 2017, in Oroville, Calif. Honea ordered mass evacuations on Sunday for everyone living below the Oroville Lake, out of concerns the Oroville Dam's emergency spillway could fail and send a 30-foot wall of water roaring downstream. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Associated Press
In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, Yuba City flood evacuees Roxanna Lyon,32, kisses son Wyatt, 3, as she balances daughter Laurie, 2, on her lap inside the Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple in West Sacramento, Calif. The temple, the area's oldest and largest, took in more than 200 people who were forced to evacuate the towns while emergency crews tried to keep the Oroville Dam from flooding. Officials say the decision to lift the evacuation order for nearly 200,000 people living below a damaged dam in California has taken into account updated weather forecasts. (Renee C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee via AP) The Associated Press
The Feather River flows with force through Oroville, Calif. Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017. Workers are rushing to repair the barrier at the nation's tallest dam after authorities on Sunday ordered the evacuation for everyone living below the lake amid concerns the spillway could fail and send water roaring downstream. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The Associated Press
In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, Diljit Singh, 7, eats as his parents Ramandeep Kaur, left, and father, Baltwant Singh, 49, center, rest after evacuating from Yuba City inside the Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple in West Sacramento, Calif. The temple, the area's oldest and largest, took in more than 200 people who were forced to evacuate the towns while emergency crews tried to keep the Oroville Dam from flooding. Officials say the decision to lift the evacuation order for nearly 200,000 people living below a damaged dam in California has taken into account updated weather forecasts. (Renee C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee via AP) The Associated Press
A Skycrane helicopter, left, returns to a staging area to be reloaded with rocks as another helicopter carries its load of rocks to fill in a hole on the Oroville Dam's emergency spillway, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. The barrier, at the nation's tallest dam, is being repaired after authorities ordered mass evacuations for everyone living below the lake out of concerns the spillway could fail and send a 30-foot wall of water roaring downstream. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Associated Press
Repair crews work to repair the Oroville Dam's emergency spillway, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. The barrier, at the nation's tallest dam, is being repaired after authorities ordered mass evacuations for everyone living below the lake out of concerns the spillway could fail and send a 30-foot wall of water roaring downstream. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Associated Press
A helicopter lowers a load of rocks to fill in a hole near the Oroville Dam's emergency spillway, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. The barrier, at the nation's tallest dam, is being repaired after authorities ordered mass evacuations for everyone living below the lake out of concerns the spillway could fail and send a 30-foot wall of water roaring downstream. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The Associated Press
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