Water levels at northern California's Lake Oroville are continuing to drop and stopping water from spilling over a big dam's potentially hazardous emergency spillway.

 

Evacuations for at least 188,000 people living below the dam were ordered Sunday after officials warned the emergency spillway was in danger of failing and unleashing uncontrolled flood waters on towns below.

 

California Department of Water Resources officials say flows into the lake are just under 45,000 cubic feet per second. Outflows remain high at nearly 100,000 cubic feet per second.

 

Officials ordered the evacuation because possible failure of the emergency spillway could send a 30-foot wall of water into communities.

 

State Fire and Rescue Chief Kim Zagaris says at least 250 California law enforcement officers are in the area of the dam and evacuation routes to manage the exodus of residents and ensure evacuated towns don't face looting or other criminal activity.