On February 13, 2017, residents of three counties along the Feather River, south of the Oroville Dam, were issued evacuation orders for fear the Oroville Spillway would fail.
Over 200,000 residents living along the river in Butte, Yuba, and Sutter Counties began the process of packing their most valuable possessions, children, and pets to begin their bumper-to-bumper migration out of the area.
There was no warning, just a broadcast announcement over local TV stations and an emergency text alert. Residents waited up to six hours from the time the orders were issued until all were safely out of the area.
I can attest to that, as I was part of the evacuation. It took my daughter and I three hours in bumper to bumper traffic, just to make it one mile in the small Sutter County town of Sutter.
But even after the all clear was given, the evacuation orders lifted, and residents were finally back at their homes, the danger still lurks.
Waiting On Federal Approval Can Take Years
Due to the extremes in release of water from the Oroville Spillway, the banks of the river have begun to collapse. Not only are the banks eroding, they are depositing everything from small vegetation to entire walnut trees into the river.
And not just one or two trees, but up to 14 trees in an afternoon on any given day. This is creating hazardous conditions for our area's fishermen, who are faithfully on the river any chance they can get to catch the big one.
The levees that line the Feather River south of Lake Oroville are there to protect the residents of Biggs, Gridley, Live Oak, Yuba City, Marysville, Linda and all the other communities not immediately by the river. In fact, the Feather River runs directly through Yuba City and Marysville, making it the border between the two cities and counties.
Due to the stress that was put on this levee system, boils began to occur in the levee not even a mile north of the old Sutter County Courthouse. Further south, two more sections of the levees along the river have also been weakened, and questions are arising as to the safety of the residents as winter grows nearer.
However, fixing the potential dangers of boats colliding with trees rolling down the river and possible levee failure is not as simple a fix as some may assume.
Northern Californians have to get federal approval before even one tree can be removed. We even have to get approval from the feds to reinforce our levees.
Why do the residents along this stretch of river have to wait for federal approval before we can begin the process of clearing the debris and shoring up our levees? Who gave them the authority to play with the fate of our residents lives?
Who should decide when and how we protect our residents, family, friends and neighbors from looming danger? Should Washington, D.C., decide? Or should California decide?
An Article V Convention of States can fix this mess. Article V can bring the decision-making process closer to home, where we can hold our local representatives accountable.
Enough is enough. Tell Washington, D.C., this winter will too be late to act. Sign the petition today and send a message to our state legislators that Article V Convention of States is needed now.
California should be empowered to protect California.
