California’s Oroville Dam will begin releasing water again in about a week through the heavily damaged main spillway, as levels in the main reservoir continue to rise. Officials say Lake Oroville is currently just below 860 feet and will rise to 865 feet by March 17th. Even though that’s below the point at which water would flow into the emergency spillway, it’s several feet above the comfort level established by DWR acting director Bill Croyle.

Earlier this year nearly 200,000 people evacuated their homes, because of erosion and fears the concrete structure holding in the water might be breached.