In years with heavy rainfall, it is not uncommon for releases from the dam to be increased, causing high water levels in the river between the levees. The channel between the levees is pretty narrow there downtown. Seeing high water there should not be a cause for panic.

The parks and trails in the river bottoms in between the levees are considered necessarily expendable, needing repair or rebuilding after high-water events. Such events may be decades apart, so why not put that land into use in the intervening years?

I have been here about 32 years, and events in my memory happened in 1986 and 1997.

Things to watch for would include 'boils', when river water starts permeating the earthen levee and begins pooling on the dry side. These can lead to levee failure, and often begin with very small holes, such as gopher holes, that exist in the levee.

'Slumping' is also an issue. If river water levels rapidly fluctuate, the softened earth on the river side of the levee can slump, sometimes leading to failure. This is more of an issue where the river channel defined by the levees is wider, such as south of Oroville, toward Biggs, Gridley and Live Oak.

Living next to a river is common, and humans have been doing it for a very long time. Rest assured that during high water events, the situation is being monitored closely and residents will receive warnings or evacuation notice if necessary.