Federal Disaster Agency Rejects $306 Million Request For Oroville Spillway Reimbursement

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has rejected a $306 million reimbursement request from the California Department of Water Resources for work to restore Oroville Dam’s shattered main spillway. The state agency says it will appeal the decision, made earlier this week. The rejection comes as construction crews near completion of a two-year project to replace the spillway, which began to disintegrate during water releases in February 2017, and reinforce a severely eroded adjoining hillside that was meant to serve as an emergency spillway.