San Diego’s Lake Hodges already has an “extremely high” flood risk. Regulators fear a dam breach would cause “considerable loss of human life” where more than 1,000 people live. But as El Niño threatens torrential rain this winter, the downstream danger could be even greater.
An October state audit painted a bleak picture of California’s dams ahead of expected heavy rain this winter, and called on the Legislature to increase the state Department of Water Resources’ enforcement authority and require new emergency action plans from dam owners…