The Latest: Emergency spillway use goes on at California dam

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on water flowing over the emergency spillway at the nation's tallest dam at Lake Oroville in Northern California (all times local):

1 p.m.

Officials say water will continue to flow over an emergency spillway at the nation's tallest dam for about two days.

Water began flowing over the emergency spillway at the Oroville Dam in Northern California on Saturday morning for the first time in its nearly 50-year history.

Earlier this week, chunks of concrete flew off the nearly mile-long main spillway, creating a 200-foot-long, 30-foot-deep hole.

California Department of Water Resources Acting Director Bill Croyle says Saturday that officials are continuously monitoring the erosion.

He stressed the dam is structurally sound and there is no immediate threat to the public.

Agency spokesman Eric See said at a news conference Saturday afternoon that he expects water to flow over the emergency spillway for the next 38 to 56 hours.

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9 a.m.

Officials say water has begun flowing over the emergency spillway at Lake Oroville in Northern California for the first time since it opened in 1968.

A spokesman for California's Department of Water Resources says water began flowing over the emergency spillway around 8 a.m. Saturday.

Officials had been hoping to avoid using the emergency spillway because it could cause trees to fall and leave debris in water that flows through the Feather River, into the Sacramento River and on to the San Francisco Bay

Earlier this week, chunks of concrete flew off the nearly mile-long spillway, creating a 200-foot-long, 30-foot-deep hole. Engineers don't know what caused the cave-in that is expected to keep growing until it reaches bedrock.

Officials say Oroville Dam itself is sound and there is no imminent threat to the public.