Water flows on California dam’s rebuilt spillway

Water is flowing down the rebuilt spillway of the nation’s tallest dam for the first time since it crumbled two years ago and threatened to flood California communities.

Live video by the California Department of Parks and Recreation shows a light stream of water flowing down the main spillway Tuesday. It comes as spring storms are expected to swell the lake behind Oroville Dam this week.

Molly White with the state Department of Water Resources says crews may increase how much water is released if needed.

In early 2017, the dam’s half-century-old spillway broke apart as it carried heavy flows from storms. That drove nearly 200,000 people from their homes over fears of catastrophic flooding.

Officials say the rebuilt spillway was “designed and constructed using 21st century engineering practices.”