MARYSVILLE, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2026) – Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the February 1986 flood in Yuba County, Yuba Water Agency on Wednesday premiered its latest documentary, “The Day the Levee Broke.” About 100 attendees filled the Lee Burrows Center for the Arts in Marysville for the evening public screening of the 23-minute film.
“Our region is safer today than it has ever been, but there is always more we can do to reduce flood risk,” said Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing with continued investments by the agency and engagement with our community members.”
On Feb. 20, 1986, just after 6 p.m., a section of levee along the Yuba River failed in Linda, flooding roughly 30 square miles. More than 26,000 people evacuated as floodwaters inundated homes and businesses across the Peach Tree Mall area and Highway 70 corridor, spreading into West Linda, Olivehurst and Arboga, now Plumas Lake. The flood caused lasting economic and community impacts.
Presented by Yuba Water and produced by J Comm Inc., the film features archival images and video of the flood and firsthand accounts from people who lived through it. The film also highlights the personal impacts that often result from such a tragedy. The documentary then pivots to talk about how much progress Yuba County has made in the past several years, with more than $600 million in flood risk reduction work completed, including significant levee improvements along the Yuba and Feather rivers. The film connects those investments to improved economic conditions in Yuba County.
The screening concluded with a community discussion about completed work and future efforts, including continued scientific advancement in understanding flood-causing atmospheric river storms, closer coordination and operational improvements at Lake Oroville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir and Yuba Water’s planned Atmospheric River Control Spillway at Bullards Bar. The proposed second spillway is designed to add more flexibility to reservoir operations at Bullards ahead of large storms and significantly reduce flood risk for communities in Yuba and Sutter counties and other downstream areas.
“The Day the Levee Broke” is available on YouTube:
