Devil's Gate Dam Is Ready for El Nino

After 20 years of limited service, the Devil's Gate Dam is back to full strength, just in time for the wet weather widely predicted by meteorologists and for more unexpected events.

"It'll be safe now for El Nino or the big one, the big earthquake," said Robert Kroll, an engineering assistant with the county Department of Public Works.

County and city officials this week marked the completion of $10 million in repairs to the dam.

The structure, first opened 77 years ago, was declared seismically unsafe after the 1971 Sylmar quake.