First, and importantly, my hopes go out to everyone that they are able to evacuate safely, and that nothing bad happens.

I wonder, how do you test for something like this? I mean, you can certainly plan, and I imagine that the emergency spillway was examined at the time it was planned, but no plan survives contact with the enemy, and the best thing to do is to test.

But, to test the emergency spillway you need to fill the dam to the point where it's overflowing, and I believe it's been a few years since we've gotten close to that. Certainly not any time in the last year.

Besides, if it was tested in the past, it may be that the drought conditions--followed by all the rain--changed the soil in such a way as to enable this.

I need to make a note to read the report when it comes out; I'm sure it'll be interesting.