Oroville Dam Lawsuit: Racism, Sexual Harassment, Theft At State Water Agency

A lawsuit filed Wednesday against the state water agency in charge of the Oroville Dam not only alleges mismanagement and disregard for the public’s safety, but also a toxic work environment rife with racism, sexual harassment and theft. Top officials at the Department of Water Resources are at times referred to as the “water mafia” in a suit filed by the city of Oroville, which is demanding millions of dollars for infrastructure damage and costs associated with dam spillover and the evacuation of 188,000 in February 2017. In 2010 or 2011, DWR supervisors allowed a noose to be hung in a meeting room for several months that was used daily by the staff, according to the complaint.