We shall see how things go

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The flood-control spillway at the nation's tallest dam will be deployed this week for the first time since it was rebuilt after it crumbled during heavy rains two years ago, forcing nearly 200,000 people to evacuate, California officials said Sunday.

Disaster was ultimately averted during the 2017 downpours, but Oroville Dam needed repairs that totaled $1.1 billion.

The Department of Water Resources has "restored full functionality to the Oroville main spillway and is operating the reservoir to ensure public safety of those downstream," the agency said in a statement.

No more than a relatively gentle 20,000 cubic feet (566 cubic meters) per second will be released down the spillway during expected rains on Tuesday, the statement said. Triple that amount could be released later in the week as more water flows into Lake Oroville.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said this month that it was refusing to reimburse California for $306 million of the $1.1 billion repair bill, citing the investigators' report and blaming the state for years of neglect. DWR officials said they plan to appeal the decision.