But it makes sense...
Here’s an article on some of the history of the auxiliary spillway, and concerns on it’s construction. Of course 14 years after they were raised, they just now cut the powerlines in anticipation of the towers failing:
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Many groups knew that, if the reservoir were ever hit by a major flood, water toppling over the emergency spillway would cause serious erosion. In 2002, the Yuba County Water Agency which owns transmission lines and other infrastructure in the area highlighted these concerns in a technical memorandum.
The discharge area below the emergency spillway is not armored, and extensive erosion would take place if the emergency spillway were used, the memo stated. The spillway road and possibly high voltage transmission towers would be impacted.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article132528514.html#storylink=cpy