Dam is not repaired yet. They have just put you back in danger while they fix it.
You are absolutely correct. See my post about the 1955 flood. They knew the levee was failing south of town on the Yuba City side. In fact, my Dad had been out there working on it along with many volunteers and had come back to the place we were staying for “dinner” (it was after midnight) when the CD horn blew signaling there was a break and for everyone to haul ass. Which we did.
I suspect the conversion of mandatory to voluntary has more to do with the impossibility of controlling all those people who want to go home. If they are in places like Gridley and Live Oak, I sure hope they’re being told to be ready to bolt at a moment’s notice and NOT to try to get to Chico if the dam goes ...