Oroville Chamber of Commerce

Lake Oroville Community Update - March 17

3/20/2023

DWR Releasing Water from Lake Oroville
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues to make flood control releases from Lake Oroville using the main spillway at Oroville Dam. These flood control releases are a result of high water inflows to Lake Oroville from a series of recent storms, with the purpose of protecting downstream communities.
As of today, total releases to the Feather River amount to 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) with 23,000 cfs being routed down the low-flow channel which flows through the City of Oroville. An additional 12,000 cfs is being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, located 5 miles downstream from Oroville. These releases from Lake Oroville are being made in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and downstream water operators for flood control protection to downstream communities. DWR continues to closely monitor lake inflow levels and will adjust releases accordingly.
Due to increased releases from Oroville Dam’s main spillway, DWR and local partners have closed Oro Dam Blvd. E. between Rusty Dusty Road and Canyon Drive in Butte County. Higher releases from the main spillway cause excessive water spray across the road and reduce driver visibility, requiring a closure for public safety. Motorists may still access Oroville Dam and the State Recreation Area via State Route 162 (Oro Quincy Highway) and Canyon Drive. This section of Oro Dam Blvd. E. will remain closed to traffic until releases from the main spillway are reduced to level that is safe for motorists.
Since Dec. 1 Lake Oroville’s storage has increased approximately 200 feet and gained just under 2 million acre-feet of water. The Lake Oroville reservoir is the largest storage facility in the State Water Project and supports environmental and water delivery needs to 27 million Californians and reduces flood risks to downstream communities. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize operations for flood control, water storage, and environmental protection while allowing for carryover storage into next year.

Enterprise Boat Ramp Reopens
The Enterprise boat ramp is now open for use thanks to continued rising lake levels. Open for water elevations above 842 feet, it has a two-lane paved ramp and boarding pad. Located on the south fork arm of Lake Oroville, Enterprise is also a popular place for swimming and fishing.
Check the status of Lake Oroville boat and cartop ramps on the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s (State Parks) website.

OROVILLE WILDFLOWER & NATURE FESTIVAL
The Feather River Recreation & Park District (FRRPD) is hosting its annual Wildflower & Nature Festival at Riverbend Park in Oroville on Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Festival admission is free with the event highlighting the area’s natural resources and handmade Butte County products. Activities and entertainment will be available for all ages including children’s crafts, river kayak tours, live music, food trucks, and a beer and wine garden.
Make sure to stop by DWR’s booth for information about the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area and a felt craft activity for kids – making a California poppy. More information about the Wildflower & Nature Festival is available on FRRPD’s website.

SPEED BOAT TIME TRIALS
Speed boat time trials are returning to the Thermalito Afterbay March 24 through March 26. The event requires the closure of the southern portion of the Afterbay (south of Highway 162), the Monument Hill boat ramp, and the Larkin Road cartop boat launch on March 25 and March 26. The Wilbur Road boat ramp and areas north of Hwy 162 will remain open for public use during the boating event.
The event is hosted by the Northern California Outboard Association and East Bay Boat Club and will feature a mile-long course. Time trial events are expected Saturday and Sunday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. depending on weather and water conditions. More information about the event can be found on the American Power Boat Association webpage.

OROVILLE RECREATION
DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and CDFW maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Paved trails at the Lake Oroville Visitor Center and at the North Forebay Day Use Area offer accessible trails with only slight elevation changes. Other trails, such as the Brad Freeman Trail near Oroville Dam, offer steep elevation changes to challenge hikers and mountain bikers. The Saddle Dam Trailhead has facilities for equestrians, including a large parking area to accommodate horse trailers, water troughs, and hitching posts, and easy access to trails designated for hikers and horses.
An interactive map of recreation facilities, including open boat ramps, and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Visitor Center offers numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Lake Oroville is at 860 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.95 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 83 percent of its total capacity and 125 percent of the historical average. Wet weather is once again anticipated Sunday through mid-week.
The Feather River releases increased to 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) today. Flows through the City of Oroville are 23,000 cfs with 12,000 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 35,000 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 3/16/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - February 24

2/27/2023

Moderate Increase in State Water Project Allocations Announced
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced a modest increase in forecasted State Water Project (SWP) deliveries this year due to early gains in the Sierra snowpack. DWR now expects to deliver 35 percent of requested water supplies, up from 30 percent forecasted in January, to the 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians. That would translate to an additional 210,000 acre-feet of water.
“We’re hopeful that more storms this week are a sign that the wet weather will return, but there remains a chance that 2023 will be a below average water year in the northern Sierra,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Careful planning and the use of advanced forecasting tools will enable the Department to balance the needs of our communities, agriculture, and the environment should dry conditions continue this spring and into next year.”
The SWP will continue to optimize water storage in Lake Oroville to support environmental needs in the summer and allow for carryover storage for next year if the spring becomes extremely dry. Additionally, the forecasted allocation could be adjusted back down if extreme dry conditions warrant.
More information about the SWP allocations may be found in the press release.

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency hosted the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting today at the Southside Oroville Community Center. In addition to public comment, presentations on the January storm events, Lake Oroville reservoir debris maintenance, and spillway capacity were provided.
The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information on the meeting, please visit https://bit.ly/OrovilleCAC. A transcript of the meeting will be available on the webpage in the coming weeks.

CHRISTMAS TREE FISH HABITAT
DWR, the California Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) finished constructing fish habitat structures at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay using almost 1,800 recycled Christmas trees. The trees were again collected by Chico Boy Scout Troop 2 and delivered free of charge to DWR by Recology, a local waste management company.
To create the habitats on Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay, members of the CCC team bundle the recycled holiday trees together and anchor them in various locations around the lakebed. At Lake Oroville near the Loafer Creek Recreation Area, 1,250 trees were assembled into 63 structures. At the Thermalito Afterbay, 541 trees were assembled into 54 structures. Anchoring the trees allows them to remain submerged, providing juvenile fish safe refuge, and improving fisheries and recreational fishing opportunities.
This is the 30th year DWR has worked with local groups to construct fish habitat structures, which is one of the longest continuously running warmwater fish habitat improvement programs in the State of California.

FUEL LOAD MANAGEMENT
DWR continues vegetation management and debris cleanup activities around the Feather River Fish Hatchery to remove overgrown ladder fuels and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. In addition, CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, and the California Conservation Corps (CCC) Butte Fire Center continue cutting and pile burning activities in the Loafer Creek area and along Oro Dam Boulevard East near the Hyatt Powerplant.
Over the next couple weeks, the Butte County Sheriff crew will be cutting and piling material along Canyon Drive to reduce overgrown vegetation near the community of Kelly Ridge. CAL FIRE will burn the brush piles at a later date.
DWR is implementing a Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) at its Oroville Facilities to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville and surrounding communities. Vegetation management activities will continue through the spring, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 828 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.53 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 71 percent of its total capacity and 115 percent of the historical average. Widespread rain showers and below-average temperatures are ahead for the weekend and into next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 2/23/2023.

California is in a third year of drought conditions. With water conservation now a way of life in California, everyone is encouraged to find ways to save water. See tips, tools, and ideas on the Save Our Water website. Information about real time local hydrological conditions, forecasts, and water conditions is available on DWR’s new website California Water Watch.

Lake Oroville Community Update - February 17

2/20/2023

Christmas Tree Fish Habitat
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the California Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) have finished constructing fish habitat structures at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay using almost 1,800 recycled Christmas trees. The trees were again collected by Chico Boy Scout Troop 2 and delivered free of charge to DWR by Recology, a local waste management company.
To create the habitats on Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay, members of the CCC team bundle the recycled holiday trees together and anchor them in various locations around the lakebed. At Lake Oroville near the Loafer Creek Recreation Area, 1,250 trees were assembled into 63 structures. At the Thermalito Afterbay, 541 trees were assembled into 54 structures. Anchoring the trees allows them to remain submerged, providing juvenile fish safe refuge, and improving fisheries and recreational fishing opportunities.
This is the 30th year DWR has worked with local groups to construct fish habitat structures, which is one of the longest continuously running warmwater fish habitat improvement programs in the State of California.

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency is hosting its 13th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to noon. The public meeting will be held at the Southside Oroville Community Center located at 2959 Lower Wyandotte Road, Oroville, CA 95966, and will include presentations and public comment. The Commission will receive a briefing on the January storm events and a presentation on reservoir debris maintenance and spillway capacity. The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam.

DRIFTWOOD AT LAKE OROVILLE
DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and marina partners at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area advise recreational boaters to navigate carefully in areas where driftwood is present.
Driftwood and other floating debris at the state recreation area are expected due to high water inflows from tributaries and rising lake levels, in combination with past wildfires impacting the watershed. Since January, State officials and marina partners have been working daily on collecting, containing, and pulling pieces of wood out of the lake and away from boat ramps using boom lines.
In past years, vandals have occasionally cut log booms, resulting in large amounts of debris released in the lake and around boat ramps. To alleviate the impact of driftwood on the state recreation area, DPR is asking the public to report any cutting or tampering of boom lines and any driftwood vessel accidents by calling the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area Dispatch Center at (916) 358-1300.
Due to an excess of driftwood, members of the public are no longer limited to collecting 50 pounds of driftwood per day. Any remaining driftwood will be disposed of within the recreation area to help reduce impacts next year.
For information on the state recreation area, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/LakeOroville.

RISING RESERVOIR LEVELS
Thanks to the January storms, Lake Oroville reservoir levels have risen more than 160 feet since Dec. 1. The reservoir level, now at 823 feet, has reached the gates of the spillway. The public may see water on the main spillway outlet, which is expected as the gates are not designed to be watertight. DWR continues to manage Lake Oroville to collect as much runoff as possible while also providing flood control benefits for downstream communities, important examples of the multiple purposes of DWR’s Oroville Facilities. These actions are coordinated with a variety of other agencies and are subject to state and federal regulations.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is now open Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Visitor Center offers numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views.
DWR, State Parks, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. An interactive map of recreation facilities, including open boat ramps, and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 823 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.46 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 70 percent of its total capacity and 115 percent of the historical average. Intermittent rain showers are expected to return to Northern California next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 2/16/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - February 10

2/14/2023

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency is hosting its 13th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to noon. The public meeting will be held at the Southside Oroville Community Center located at 2959 Lower Wyandotte Road, Oroville, CA 95966, and will include presentations and public comment. The Commission will receive a briefing on the January storm events and a presentation on reservoir debris maintenance and spillway capacity. The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam.

DRIFTWOOD AT LAKE OROVILLE
The California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), Department of Water Resources (DWR) and marina partners at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area advise recreational boaters to navigate carefully in areas where driftwood is present.
Driftwood and other floating debris at the state recreation area are expected due to high water inflows from tributaries and rising lake levels, in combination with past wildfires impacting the watershed. This month State officials and marina partners have been working daily on collecting, containing, and pulling pieces of wood out of the lake and away from boat launch ramps using boom lines.
In past years, vandals have occasionally cut log booms, resulting in large amounts of debris released in the lake and around boat launch ramps. To alleviate the impact of driftwood on the state recreation area, DPR is asking the public to report any cutting or tampering of boom lines and any driftwood vessel accidents by calling the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area Dispatch Center at (916) 358-1300.
Due to an excess of driftwood, members of the public are no longer limited to collecting 50 pounds of driftwood per day. Any remaining driftwood will be disposed of within the recreation area to help reduce impacts next year.
For information on the state recreation area, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/LakeOroville.

RISING RESERVOIR LEVELS
Thanks to the January storms, Lake Oroville reservoir levels have risen more than 150 feet since Dec. 1. The reservoir level, now at 817 feet, has reached the gates of the spillway. The public may see water on the main spillway outlet, which is expected as the gates are not designed to be watertight. DWR continues to manage Lake Oroville to collect as much runoff as possible while also providing flood control benefits for downstream communities, important examples of the multiple purposes of DWR’s Oroville Facilities. These actions are coordinated with a variety of other agencies and are subject to state and federal regulations.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center has expanded hours and is now open to the public Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Visitor Center features interpretive displays on Oroville Dam, area geology, wildlife and habitat, hydroelectric power, and cultural and historical artifacts. View videos in the theater about the construction of Oroville Dam, walk or hike along nearby trails, and visit the 47-foot-tall observation tower that provides unsurpassed panoramic views of surrounding areas. Free guided tours for school and community groups are available by reservation.
Lake Oroville is one of the State Water Project’s premier recreational destinations and one of California’s best fishing spots. The lake provides both warm-water and cold-water fisheries. Below the Oroville Dam, the Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay and the Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities for Chinook salmon and steelhead.
Paved boat ramps are available at the Spillway, Loafer Point, Loafer Creek, Bidwell Canyon, Lime Saddle, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito Forebay. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.
DWR, State Parks, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 817 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.4 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 68 percent of its total capacity and 114 percent of the historical average. The weather forecast for the coming week remains mostly dry with showers possible next weekend.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 2/9/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - February 3

2/6/2023

Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee
The Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee (ORAC) met today, Feb. 3 at the Southside Community Center in Oroville. ORAC was established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review and provide recommendations regarding the Department of Water Resources (DWR) recreation plan for the Oroville Facilities. The 13-member committee is made up of representatives from state and local government, recreation groups, and business and community organizations. To obtain a summary of the meeting, send a request to oroville@water.ca.gov.

SNOW SURVEY SHOWS SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO SNOWPACK
On Wednesday, DWR conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 85.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 33.5 inches, which is 193 percent of average for this location on February 1. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 205 percent of average for this date. Two months remain until April 1, when the state snowpack usually peaks.
The snowpack received a significant boost from one of the wettest three-week periods on record in California, following the driest three-year period on record. California also experienced above average precipitation in December just months after one of the hottest heatwaves in state history in September.
DWR’s electronic readings from 130 snow sensors placed throughout the state indicate the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 33.7 inches, or 205 percent of average for this date. While those results are currently outpacing the record 1982-83 season, two months still remain. Periodic rain and snow over the next several months will be key to get the biggest water supply benefit from the state’s snowpack without posing additional flood risks. Read more about the snow survey in the press release.

NEW VISITOR CENTER HOURS
As of last week, the Lake Oroville Visitor Center has expanded hours and is now open to the public Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Visitor Center offers numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views. Free guided tours for school and community groups are available by reservation.

DRIFTWOOD ABATEMENT ONGOING
DWR, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and marina partners at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area advise recreational boaters to navigate carefully on Lake Oroville as driftwood is floating in various areas of the lake. This is a common condition with the rising lake levels and DWR maintenance crews work daily to sequester driftwood from boating areas while DPR maintenance crews remove driftwood at launch ramp areas.

FUEL LOAD MANAGEMENT
DWR continues vegetation management and debris cleanup activities around the Feather River Fish Hatchery to remove overgrown ladder fuels and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. In addition, CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, and the California Conservation Corps (CCC) Butte Fire Center continue pile burning activities in the Loafer Creek area and along Oro Dam Boulevard East near the Hyatt Powerplant. Over the next couple weeks, the CCC Chico crew will be cutting and piling material along Canyon Drive to reduce overgrown vegetation near the community of Kelly Ridge.
Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for DWR and local partners.

OROVILLE RECREATION
Lake Oroville is one of the State Water Project’s premier recreational destinations and one of California’s best fishing spots. The lake provides both warm-water and cold-water fisheries. Below the Oroville Dam, the Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay and the Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities for Chinook salmon and steelhead.
Paved boat ramps are available at the Spillway, Loafer Point, Loafer Creek, Bidwell Canyon, Lime Saddle, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito South Forebay. The Bidwell Canyon Marina is also open from 8 a.m. until sundown and provides a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.
DWR, State Parks, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 811 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.32 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 66 percent of its total capacity and 112 percent of the historical average. Intermittent rain showers are expected over the weekend with sun returning during the week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 2/2/2023.

California is in its third year of drought conditions. With water conservation now a way of life in California, everyone is encouraged to find ways to save water. See tips, tools, and ideas on the Save Our Water website. Information about real time local hydrological conditions, forecasts, and water conditions is available on DWR’s new website California Water Watch.

Lake Oroville Community Update - January 27

1/30/2023

Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee
The Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee (ORAC) will hold a public meeting on Friday, Feb. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Southside Oroville Community Center located at 2959 Lower Wyandotte Road, Oroville, CA, 95966.
ORAC was established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review and provide recommendations regarding the Department of Water Resources (DWR) recreation plan for the Oroville Facilities. The 13-member committee is made up of representatives from state and local government, recreation groups, and business and community organizations.

DRIFTWOOD ABATEMENT ONGOING AT LAKE OROVILLE
DWR, Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and marina partners at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area advise recreational boaters to navigate carefully on Lake Oroville as driftwood is floating in various areas of the lake. This is a common condition with the rising lake levels and DWR has maintenance crews working daily to collect driftwood and haul it to a cove where it will be disposed of when lake levels recede.

NEW VISITOR CENTER HOURS
As of this week, the Lake Oroville Visitor Center has expanded hours and is now open to the public Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Visitor Center offers numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views. Free guided tours for school and community groups are available by reservation.

STATE WATER PROJECT ALLOCATIONS INCREASED
DWR announced yesterday that recent storms will allow the State Water Project (SWP) to boost deliveries to 29 public water agencies serving 27 million Californians. Based on the amount of water captured and stored in recent weeks, DWR now expects to deliver 30 percent of requested water supplies – or 1.27 million acre-feet -- in 2023, up from the initial 5 percent announced on Dec. 1.
The allocation increase is the direct result of significant precipitation in late December and nine atmospheric rivers in early January that helped fill reservoirs and dramatically increase the Sierra Nevada snowpack. The SWP’s two largest reservoirs (Oroville and San Luis) have gained a combined 1.62 million acre-feet of water in storage -- roughly enough to provide water to 5.6 million households for a year. While Water Year 2023 began with below average precipitation, conditions shifted to above average for the water year-to-date.
The updated SWP delivery forecast takes into account current reservoir storage and is based on a conservative runoff forecast. It does not take into account the current Sierra Nevada snowpack. DWR will conduct snow surveys on February 1, March 1, April 1, and May 1 and may further update the allocation as the water supply outlook becomes clearer with the new data.
More information about the revised SWP allocations may be found in the press release.

MIDWINTER BALD EAGLE SURVEY
Environmental scientists from DWR recently participated in the National Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey on Jan. 6 and Jan. 9. This nationwide effort, coordinated by the USACE, aims to determine bald eagle distribution and identify areas of important winter habitats. This year’s official count was 176 bald eagles for the Lake Oroville Winter Roost and three at the Thermalito Complex. This is the highest count for the Lake Oroville Winter Roost since DWR began survey participation in 2003.
Lake Oroville and the Sacramento Valley area provide an ideal habitat for bald eagles. Fish and waterfowl are the eagle’s main food source during this time of the year and large water bodies like Lake Oroville provide a wide variety of fish, and the nearby wetlands and flooded rice fields provide an abundant supply of waterfowl for eagle foraging. The many trees and snags (tall dead trees) near water areas provide prime roosting locations for the bald eagles that migrate to and through the area during the winter months.

OROVILLE RECREATION
DWR, State Parks, and California Department of Fish & Wildlife maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
With rising lake levels, paved boat ramps are available at the Spillway, Loafer Point, Bidwell Canyon, Lime Saddle, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito South Forebay. The Bidwell Canyon Marina is also open from 8 a.m. until sundown and provides a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 804 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.23 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 63 percent of its total capacity and 110 percent of the historical average. Dry weather continues next week with rain showers possible the first weekend of February.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 01/26/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - January 20

1/23/2023

Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey
Environmental scientists from DWR recently participated in the National Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey on Jan. 6 and Jan. 9. This nationwide effort, coordinated by the USACE, aims to determine bald eagle distribution and identify areas of important winter habitats. This year’s official count was 176 bald eagles for the Lake Oroville Winter Roost and three at the Thermalito Complex. This is the highest count for the Lake Oroville Winter Roost since DWR began survey participation in 2003.
Lake Oroville and the Feather River area provide an ideal habitat for bald eagles. Fish are one of the eagle’s main food sources and large water bodies like Lake Oroville provide a wide variety of fish and other favorite food sources such as waterfowl, small birds, and mammals. The many trees and snags (tall dead trees) near water areas provide prime roosting and hunting locations for the bald eagles that migrate to and through the area during the winter months.

LAKESIDE ACCESS ROAD CLOSED
Rising reservoir levels at Lake Oroville have required the closure of the newly constructed Lakeside Access Road, which will not reopen until water levels drop back down later this year. With the road closure in effect, vehicle access to the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area will now be via Oroville Dam Crest Road.
Vehicle access to the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area is available between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are three other boat ramps at Lake Oroville that are open 24 hours a day: Bidwell Canyon, Loafer Point, and Lime Saddle.
At just 60 percent of its total capacity, Lake Oroville still has ample storage to capture storm runoff while providing flood control protection for the Feather River and downstream communities. Water inflows to the reservoir during recent storms have been as high as 50,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) while outflows in the Feather River through Oroville remain at a minimum of 650 cfs. Current outflows are being used to support local water needs and maintain flood control and are not part of water deliveries to Southern California.
In addition, DWR Oroville Field Division Civil Maintenance crews are patrolling Lake Oroville daily to collect woody debris as part of normal operations during this time of year. Boaters are advised to be alert for floating debris, which is expected during high reservoir inflows.

FUEL LOAD MANAGEMENT
DWR continues vegetation management activities around the Oroville area to remove overgrown vegetation and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. Over the next few months, you may see crews working in various areas including Loafer Creek, Canyon Drive, along Oro Dam Blvd. East, and the Feather River Fish Hatchery. CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, California Conservation Corps (CCC), and crews from the Butte Fire Center continue to cut, pile, chip, and pile burn as weather allows. Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of the FLMP remains a high priority for DWR and local partners.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views.
DWR, State Parks, and State Fish & Wildlife maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area, including those around the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. There are paved, accessible trails with only slight elevation changes by the Visitor Center and the North Forebay Day Use Area. Other trails, such as the Brad Freeman Trail between the Spillway Day Use Area and the Diversion Pool, offer steep elevation changes to challenge hikers and mountain bikers. The Saddle Dam Trailhead has facilities for equestrians, including a large parking area to accommodate horse trailers, water trough, and hitching posts, and easy access to trails designated for hikers and horses.
An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
With rising lake levels, paved boat ramps are available at the Spillway, Loafer Point, Bidwell Canyon, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito South Forebay. The Bidwell Canyon Marina is also open from 8 a.m. until sundown and provides a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 793 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.12 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 60 percent of its total capacity and 107 percent of the historical average. Dry weather and sunshine are returning to the forecast for the upcoming week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 01/19/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - January 13

1/18/2023

Lakeside Access Road Closed
Rising reservoir levels at Lake Oroville have required the closure of the newly constructed Lakeside Access Road, which will not reopen until water levels drop back down later this year. With the road closure in effect, vehicle access to the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area will now be via Oroville Dam Crest Road.
Vehicle access to the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area is available between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are three other boat ramps at Lake Oroville that are open 24 hours a day: Bidwell Canyon, Loafer Point, and Lime Saddle.
Since Dec. 1, 2022, Lake Oroville has seen over a 100-foot rise in elevation with storage levels at 1.79 million acre-feet thanks to a series of atmospheric rivers that delivered significant rain and snow to the Feather River watershed. However, due to historic drought throughout California, most major reservoirs, including Lake Oroville, remain low.
At just 51 percent of its total capacity, Lake Oroville still has ample storage to capture storm runoff while providing flood control protection for the Feather River and downstream communities. Water inflows to the reservoir during recent storms have been as high as 50,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) while outflows in the Feather River through Oroville remain at a minimum of 650 cfs. Current outflows are being used to support local water needs and maintain flood control and are not part of water deliveries to Southern California.
As lake levels continue to rise with inflows, outflows from Oroville Dam may increase under flood control guidelines from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is required to maintain storage for continued rainfall and snowmelt as the wet season progresses. This coordinated release of water helps prevent catastrophic flooding in downstream communities.
In addition, DWR Oroville Field Division Civil Maintenance crews are patrolling Lake Oroville daily to collect woody debris as part of normal operations during this time of year. Boaters are advised to be alert for floating debris, which is expected during high reservoir inflows.

LIME SADDLE BOAT RAMP NOW OPEN
The Lime Saddle paved ramp reopened for boat launching last week. Located along the west branch of the north fork arm of Lake Oroville and accessible from Pentz Road, Lime Saddle offers picnic tables, sun shelters, flush toilets (all ADA accessible), a drinking fountain, a telephone, a fish cleaning station, and trash receptacles. The marina, which is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, also offers gas for boats, a general store with bait and tackle, and a pump-out station.
The Bidwell Canyon Marina is also open from 8 a.m. until sundown and provides a variety of services such as a shuttle and boat rentals.

OROVILLE RECREATION
With approximately 11,800-acres of forested upland and riparian habitat along the Feather River and around the Thermalito Afterbay, the Oroville Wildlife Area is open for hunting, with most hunters pursuing waterfowl at the Afterbay. Interior ponds have also filled with enough water to permit duck hunting. Oroville Wildlife Area is a “Type C” wildlife area (hunting pass not required) and is open for hunting seven days a week with entry hours limited from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. California Department of Fish and Wildlife hunting regulations are available online.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open to the public Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick up the Lake Oroville Trails Map – which shows more than 92 miles of trails available to equestrians, bicyclists, and hikers – at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area kiosks, the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, or the Feather River Recreation and Parks District.
An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 762 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.79 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 51 percent of its total capacity and 93 percent of the historical average. Rain will continue over the weekend and into early next week, with a break in wet weather expected midweek.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 01/12/2023.

Lake Oroville Community Update - January 6

1/11/2023

DWR Prepares for Storms and Potential Flooding
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is preparing for a series of storms in the next ten days that could potentially bring additional flooding to communities already inundated by recent downpours. The storm battering the state Wednesday was the third in a series of atmospheric river storms that have impacted Northern California in the space of a week.
DWR activated the State-Federal Flood Operations Center (FOC) on Jan. 3 and has been closely monitoring and communicating forecasts and making high-water notification calls to keep locals and partner agencies informed of elevated river levels. The FOC is working closely with the National Weather Service, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Bureau of Reclamation, CalOES, and California counties, and is participating in coordination calls to take proactive steps to respond and prepare for impacts from flooding statewide.
It is still important to note that these storms have not ended the drought. While Lake Oroville has seen a 65-foot rise in elevation since Dec. 1, major reservoir storage remains below average, and conditions could turn dry again this winter, offsetting recent rain and snow.
Information on current Butte County road closures due to flooding and sandbag resources can be found on Butte County’s website. More information on DWR storm preparation can be found in its recent press release.

LIME SADDLE BOAT RAMP NOW OPEN
The Lime Saddle paved ramp reopened for boat launching this week. Located along the west branch of the north fork arm of Lake Oroville and accessible from Pentz Road, Lime Saddle offers picnic tables, sun shelters, flush toilets (all ADA accessible), a drinking fountain, a telephone, a fish cleaning station, and trash receptacles. The marina also offers gas for boats, a boat repair and supply shop, a general store with bait and tackle, and a pump-out station.
Paved boat ramps remain available at the Spillway, Loafer Point, Bidwell Canyon, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito South Forebay. Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas are open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available.

SNOW SURVEY
DWR conducted its first Phillips Station snow survey on Jan. 3. The manual survey recorded 55.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 17.5 inches, which is 177 percent of average for this location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide the snowpack is 174 percent of average for this date.
“Big snow totals are always welcome, but we still have a long way to go before the critical April 1 total,” said Sean de Guzman, DWR’s snow surveys and water supply forecasting unit manager. “It’s always great to be above average this early in the season, but we must be resilient and remember what happened last year. If January through March of 2023 turn out to be similar to last year, we would still end the water year in severe drought with only half of an average year's snowpack.”
On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs and is an important factor in determining how DWR manages the state’s water resources. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California's “frozen reservoir.” A below-average snowpack impacts water users across the state, putting further stress on the environment and critical groundwater supplies.
More information about the first snow survey can be found in DWR’s press release.

FUEL LOAD MANAGEMENT
DWR continues vegetation management activities around the Oroville area to remove overgrown vegetation and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. Over the next few months you may see crews working in various areas including Loafer Creek, Canyon Drive, along Oro Dam Blvd. East, and the Feather River Fish Hatchery. CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, California Conservation Corps (CCC), and crews from the Butte Fire Center continue to cut, pile, chip, and pile burn as weather allows. Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of the FLMP remains a high priority for DWR and local partners.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open to the public Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick up the Lake Oroville Trails Map – which shows more than 92 miles of trails available to equestrians, bicyclists, and hikers – at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area kiosks, the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, or the Feather River Recreation and Parks District.
An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 724 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.44 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 41 percent of its total capacity and 77 percent of the historical average. Wet weather and strong wind gusts remain in the forecast for the upcoming week due to continued atmospheric rivers that are hitting the West Coast.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 12/29/2022.

Lake Oroville Community Update - December 30

1/3/2023

Loafer Point Boat Ramp Open
The Loafer Point paved ramp reopened for boat launching this week. The ramp has three launch lanes at current lake levels, a boarding float, and is adjacent to the Loafer Creek Recreation Day Use Area and Campground with nearby trails, campgrounds, boating, and marina store.
Paved boat ramps are also available at Bidwell Canyon, the Thermalito Afterbay, and the Thermalito South Forebay. Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas are open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available.

ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS
This past week and heading into the New Year, a series of atmospheric rivers are hitting California, further bolstering the Northern Sierra snowpack, which is at 128 percent of normal as of Dec. 29. Atmospheric rivers are air currents that carry huge amounts of water vapor from the tropics to the West Coast and are a key feature in the California water cycle.
Atmospheric rivers account for 40 to 60 percent of California’s annual precipitation, often in powerful downpours that can hit in rapid succession. On the flip side, successive years without significant atmospheric river events has led to severe drought conditions throughout most of the state. California still needs above average precipitation throughout the winter to offset record-setting drought conditions.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is conducting the first snow survey of the season on Jan. 3, pending good weather conditions. Track precipitation, reservoir levels and snowpack data at the California Data Exchange Center.

FISH HATCHERY INCREASING FALL-RUN CHINOOK SALMON PRODUCTION
DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will increase the Feather River Fish Hatchery’s production of fall-run Chinook salmon in 2023 to approximately 9.5 million fish to combat the impacts of drought and a thiamine deficiency affecting natural spawning and in-river production.
The hatchery, owned by DWR and operated by CDFW, is seeking to produce approximately 8 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts and 1.5 million fall-run Chinook salmon fingerlings in 2023 – a 3.5 million increase over typical production goals.
Two million of the additional salmon smolts produced will be trucked to release sites in the San Pablo and San Francisco bays to maximize survival. Another 1.5 million of these additional fish will be released into the Feather River earlier in the season and at a smaller size than typical river releases. This is an experimental effort to take advantage of more favorable weather and river conditions in early spring.
For more information about increased fall-run Chinook Salmon production, read CDFW’s press release.

STEELHEAD SPAWNING
Feather River Fish Hatchery staff began steelhead spawning operations this week and will continue through early February. These fish will enter the hatchery via the fish ladder that leads up from the Feather River Fish Barrier Dam and can be seen at the viewing windows and facility. Once the spawned fish eggs have hatched, the juvenile fish will be reared at the hatchery for a full year and then released next winter into the Feather River. If there are any surplus fish beyond the production goal of 400,000, fish may be planted into the Thermalito Afterbay for recreational fishing.
Like the salmon that populate the Feather River, steelhead trout migrate from freshwater to marine (ocean), returning to freshwater environments to spawn. Unlike salmon, they can spawn several times during their lifetime and can live up to eight years. The “steelhead” name comes from their appearance, a more streamlined shape than Chinook salmon with a silvery or brassy color as an adult.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project (SWP) facility built in the late 1960s to mitigate impacts on fish migration resulting from the construction of Oroville Dam which prevented access to spawning grounds further upstream. Daily visiting hours at the facility are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open to the public Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick up the Lake Oroville Trails Map, which shows more than 92 miles of trails available to equestrians, bicyclists, and hikers, at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area kiosks, the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, or the Feather River Recreation and Parks District.
An interactive map of recreation facilities and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi) is available on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 684 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.14 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 32 percent of its total capacity and 62 percent of the historical average. A series of storms will deliver rain to the valley and snow to the Sierra through the New Year weekend and into next week, further bolstering lake levels.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 12/29/2022.

Lake Oroville Community Update - December 23

1/3/2023

Fish Hatchery Increasing Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Production
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will increase the Feather River Fish Hatchery’s production of fall-run Chinook salmon in 2023 to approximately 9.5 million fish to combat the impacts of drought and a thiamine deficiency affecting natural spawning and in-river production.
The hatchery, owned by DWR and operated by CDFW, is seeking to produce approximately 8 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts and 1.5 million fall-run Chinook salmon fingerlings in 2023 – a 3.5 million increase over typical production goals.
Two million of the additional salmon smolts produced will be trucked to release sites in the San Pablo and San Francisco bays to maximize survival. Another 1.5 million of these additional fish will be released into the Feather River earlier in the season and at a smaller size than typical river releases. This is an experimental effort to take advantage of more favorable weather and river conditions in early spring.
For more information about increased fall-run Chinook Salmon production, read CDFW’s press release.

STEELHEAD SPAWNING
Feather River Fish Hatchery staff will begin steelhead spawning operations Dec. 28 and continue through early February. These fish will enter the hatchery via the fish ladder that leads up from the Feather River Fish Barrier Dam and can be seen at the viewing windows and facility. Once the spawned fish eggs have hatched, the juvenile fish will be reared at the hatchery for a full year and then released next winter into the Feather River. If there are any surplus fish beyond the production goal of 400,000, fish may be planted into the Thermalito Afterbay for recreational fishing.
Like the salmon that populate the Feather River, steelhead trout migrate from freshwater to marine (ocean), returning to freshwater environments to spawn. Unlike salmon, they can spawn several times during their lifetime and can live up to eight years. The “steelhead” name comes from their appearance, a more streamlined shape than Chinook salmon with a silvery or brassy color as an adult.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project (SWP) facility built in the late 1960s to mitigate impacts on fish migration resulting from the construction of Oroville Dam which prevented access to spawning grounds further upstream. Daily visiting hours at the facility are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

HUNTING AT OROVILLE WILDLIFE AREA
With approximately 11,800-acres of forested upland and riparian habitat along the Feather River and around the Thermalito Afterbay, the Oroville Wildlife Area is open for hunting with most hunters pursuing waterfowl at the Afterbay. Some interior ponds have also filled with enough water to permit duck hunting, while upland hunters have had success harvesting quail, squirrels, and rabbits this time of year.
In the spring, CDFW will draw permits for special turkey hunt opportunities including the Junior Hunt weekend and select weekends. Turkey hunting is not permitted in the fall at the Oroville Wildlife Area. Check CDFW hunting regulations for more information.
Oroville Wildlife Area is a “Type C” wildlife area (hunting pass not required) and is open for hunting seven days a week with entry hours limited from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. No rifles or pistols may be used or possessed on the wildlife area except at the designated shooting range (Rabe Rd. Shooting Range off Larkin Rd.; open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset). Lead ammunition cannot be used while hunting in California.

FUEL LOAD MANAGEMENT
DWR continues vegetation management activities around the Oroville area to remove overgrown vegetation and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. Over the next few months you may see crews working in various areas including Loafer Creek, Canyon Drive, along Oro Dam Blvd. East, and the Feather River Fish Hatchery. CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, California Conservation Corps (CCC), and crews from the Butte Fire Center continue to cut, pile, chip, and pile burn as weather allows. Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of the FLMP remains a high priority for DWR and local partners.

OROVILLE RECREATION
DWR and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Popular with mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians, trails near the Thermalito Diversion Pool can be accessed from Cherokee Road and offer ample opportunity for viewing the local wildlife. Trails along the south side of the Diversion Pool can be accessed from the trail access parking lot west of the South Feather Powerhouse and accessible from Hyatt Powerplant Road.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, and walking and hiking trails.
The Bidwell Canyon concrete boat ramp is open at Lake Oroville. State Parks has provided a floating dock for users at the ramp along with portable restroom facilities. Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas are open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available. Paved boat ramps are also available at the Thermalito Afterbay and the Thermalito South Forebay.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 671 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.04 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 30 percent of its total capacity and 57 percent of the historical average. Fog in the valley is expected through the holiday weekend with intermittent rain showers throughout the week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 12/22/2022.

Lake Oroville Community Update - December 16

12/19/2022

Paved Boat Ramp Reopens
Thanks to recent rain showers in the valley and feet of snowfall in the Sierra mountains, water levels at Lake Oroville have risen enough to reopen the Bidwell Canyon concrete boat ramp. With Bidwell Canyon reopened, the gravel spillway ramp is now closed.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) has provided a floating dock for users at the ramp along with portable restroom facilities. Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas are open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available. Paved boat ramps are also available at the Thermalito Afterbay and the Thermalito South Forebay.

HUNTING AT OROVILLE WILDLIFE AREA
With approximately 11,800-acres of forested upland and riparian habitat along the Feather River and around the Thermalito Afterbay, the Oroville Wildlife Area is open for hunting with most hunters pursuing waterfowl at the Afterbay. Some interior ponds have also filled with enough water to permit duck hunting, while upland hunters have had success harvesting quail, squirrels, and rabbits this time of year.
In the spring, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will draw permits for special turkey hunt opportunities including the Junior Hunt weekend, and the first, third, and fifth weekends and Wednesdays of the spring season. Turkey hunting is not permitted in the fall at the Oroville Wildlife Area.
Oroville Wildlife Area is a “Type C” wildlife area (hunting pass not required) and is open for hunting seven days a week with entry hours limited from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. No rifles or pistols may be used or possessed on the wildlife area except at the designated shooting range (Rabe Rd. Shooting Range off Larkin Rd.; open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset). Lead ammunition cannot be used while hunting in California.

WINTER OUTLOOK
Even with the Northern Sierra snowpack measuring 180 percent of normal as of Dec. 15, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is reminding the public of ongoing drought conditions throughout California.
As the state enters its fourth year of drought, California Water Watch shows most of the state is still in moderate, severe, or extreme drought conditions, and the state’s groundwater basins and environments are still stressed from years of severely dry conditions. While early season precipitation totals may be cause for cautious optimism, last year’s above average December was followed by historic dry conditions January through March. This early in the winter, California must proceed with caution and continue to embrace solutions proposed in the Newsom Administration’s Water Supply Strategy for Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a La Niña winter with dry conditions in Southern California and equal chances of wet or dry conditions in central and northern parts of the state. Early snow totals are only helpful if they translate into runoff into the state's streams, rivers, and reservoirs, particularly in the spring and summer months.
DWR is investing in several new tools to both predict and capture runoff, such as investing in additional Airborne Snow Observatory flights and improving runoff forecasting abilities with more sophisticated data collection. While the winter season has started positively, the most important measurement of the year will be April 1, when the snowpack is typically at its highest. You can track precipitation and snowpack data on the California Data Exchange Center website.

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CONTINUES IN OROVILLE AREA
DWR continues vegetation management and debris cleanup activities around the Feather River Fish Hatchery to remove overgrown ladder fuels and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. In addition, CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, and the California Conservation Corps (CCC) Butte Fire Center continue pile burning activities in the Loafer Creek area and along Oro Dam Boulevard East near the Hyatt Powerplant. Over the next couple weeks, the CCC Chico crew will be cutting and piling material along Canyon Drive to reduce overgrown vegetation near the community of Kelly Ridge.
Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting. Smoke from pile burning activities will continue to be visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for DWR and local partners.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Bidwell Complex, located along the southern shore of Lake Oroville east of the Oroville Dam, is one of the major attractions in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. It’s a popular fishing and day use area as well as a base for many boaters. The location has drinking water; eight flush toilets (two are ADA accessible); a grey water sump; boat ramps at high, medium, and low reservoir levels; a telephone; a visitor information station; a full-service marina; and a fish cleaning station.
Bidwell Canyon Campground has 75 campsites for either tents or RVs, all with full hookups. Two flush restrooms, piped water, six showers, shade trees, and fire rings with grills are available. Nearby hiking trails include the 4.9-mile Bidwell Canyon Trail and the Wyk Island Trail.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views of Lake Oroville, the valley, the foothills and Sierra Nevada, and the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 669 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.03 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 29 percent of its total capacity and 57 percent of the historical average. Temperatures for the coming week will vary between the mid-50s and low-60s, with a slight dip into the 40s possible this Monday.
The Feather River releases are currently at 950 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 12/15/2022.

Lake Oroville Community Update - December 9

12/12/2022

Winter Outlook
Even with the Northern Sierra snowpack measuring 147 percent of normal as of Dec. 8, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is reminding the public of ongoing drought conditions throughout California.
As the state enters its fourth year of drought, California Water Watch shows most of the state is still in moderate, severe, or extreme drought conditions, and the state’s groundwater basins and environments are still stressed from years of severely dry conditions. While early season precipitation totals may be cause for cautious optimism, last year’s above average December was followed by historic dry conditions January through March. This early in the winter, California must proceed with caution and continue to embrace solutions proposed in the administration’s Water Supply Strategy for Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a La Niña winter with dry conditions in Southern California and equal chances of wet or dry conditions in central and northern parts of the state. Early snow totals are only helpful if they translate into runoff into the state's streams, rivers, and reservoirs, particularly in the spring and summer months.
DWR is investing in several new tools to both predict and capture runoff, such as investing in additional Airborne Snow Observatory flights and improving runoff forecasting abilities with more sophisticated data collection. While the winter season has started positively, the most important measurement of the year will be April 1, when the snowpack is typically at its highest. You can track precipitation and snowpack data on the California Data Exchange Center website.

Lakeside Road Closure
The Spillway Day Use Area will be closed to vehicles Tuesday, Dec. 13 and Wednesday, Dec. 14 for utility work along Lakeside Access Road. The gravel spillway ramp will not be affected by the closure and will remain open for use. Trail access to Potters Ravine is available to users from the Dam Crest parking lot by crossing the Spillway road segment that serves as part of the Brad Freeman Bike Trail. This section is open to pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians.

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CONTINUES IN OROVILLE AREA
DWR began vegetation management and debris cleanup activities around the Feather River Fish Hatchery to remove overgrown ladder fuels and create a more wildfire resilient landscape. In addition, CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff, Plumas National Forest, and DWR continue pile burning activities in the Loafer Creek area and along Oro Dam Boulevard East near the Hyatt Powerplant. Vegetation management activities will continue through the winter, weather permitting.
Some intermittent trail closures in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area may occur. Trail users are advised to be “safety-aware” and are required to obey posted trail closure signage. Smoke from vegetation removal work has been, and may continue to be, visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP.

DWR ISSUES STATE WATER PROJECT ALLOCATIONS
DWR issued State Water Project allocations last week amounting to 5 percent of requested supplies for 2023. Existing storage in Lake Oroville is being conserved in the event dry conditions continue. The initial 5 percent allocation would be met by flows from winter storms entering the Delta as well as stored water in San Luis Reservoir.
“This early in California’s traditional wet season, water allocations are typically low due to uncertainty in hydrologic forecasting. But the degree to which hotter and drier conditions are reducing runoff into rivers, streams and reservoirs means we have to be prepared for all possible outcomes,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.
Each year, DWR provides the initial State Water Project allocation by December 1 based on available water storage, projected water supply, and water demands. Allocations are updated monthly as snowpack and runoff information is assessed, with a final allocation typically determined in May or June. Read the full news release on the DWR News webpage.

OROVILLE RECREATION
Paved boat ramps at Lake Oroville remain temporarily closed due to low lake levels stemming from ongoing drought. DWR and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) have provided a gravel launch ramp near the Spillway Boat Ramp until the lake level rises. This gravel launch ramp is open 24-hours a day and may be accessed from the Lakeside Access Road between Oroville Dam and the Spillway Day Use Area and Boat Launch. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are highly recommended – please use at your own risk.
The temporary launch ramp is gravel on dirt which becomes slippery when wet, especially during times of heavy usage. To maintain the integrity of the steep ramp, drivers are encouraged to avoid tire spin by engaging vehicles in 4-wheel drive and accelerating slowly when exiting the ramp, with or without a loaded trailer.
Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas remain open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available. Paved boat ramps continue to be available at the Thermalito Afterbay and the Thermalito South Forebay. With continued rising lake levels, the paved Bidwell Canyon III ramp is expected to reopen the week of Dec. 13 with a boarding dock available for users.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views of Lake Oroville, the valley, the foothills and Sierra Nevada, and the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 662 feet elevation and storage is approximately 985,000 acre-feet (AF), which is 28 percent of its total capacity and 55 percent of the historical average. Rain is again anticipated over the weekend and into early next week with temperatures in the high-40s to low-50s. Weekend rain totals of 2 to 3 inches and wind gusts of 40-45 mph are possible for valley areas.
The Feather River releases are currently at 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and will be reduced to 950 cfs Saturday, Dec. 10. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 300 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 950 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 12/8/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - November 18

11/21/2022

Lake Oroville Boat Ramp
The Bidwell Canyon Stage III Boat Ramp is now closed due to low lake levels. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has opened the gravel boat ramp at the Spillway. This ramp may be accessed from the Lakeside Access Road between Oroville Dam and the Spillway Day Use Area and Boat Launch. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are highly recommended – please use at your own risk.
The auxiliary ramp is gravel on dirt which becomes slippery when wet, especially during times of heavy usage. To maintain the integrity of the steep ramp, drivers are encouraged to avoid tire spin by engaging vehicles in 4-wheel drive and accelerating slowly when exiting the ramp, with or without a loaded trailer.
The Spillway gravel boat ramp is open 24-hours a day. Both the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas remain open from 8 a.m. until sundown with shuttle service and boat rentals available.

FEATHER RIVER FISH HATCHERY
Chinook salmon spawning operations have successfully concluded at the Feather River Fish Hatchery. The hatchery collected 9.5 million fall-run, 2.4 million spring-run, and 126,000 inland Lake Oroville Chinook salmon eyed eggs this year. The hatchery’s spawning process collects eggs from female fish and milt (sperm) from male fish to fertilize the eggs. After fertilization, the eggs are placed in incubators to develop and approximately 30-days post fertilization, the healthy eggs develop eyes (eyed egg).
After the young salmon further develop in the incubators and reach the “fry” stage, they are transferred to long ponds filled with Feather River water called “raceways” to grow until they are large enough to be returned to the river or planted in locations further downstream to avoid predators. Planting operations for Chinook will occur March through June.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project (SWP) facility owned and maintained by DWR, which funds hatchery operations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) operates the hatchery, including fish spawning, rearing, and stocking activities.
DWR built the fish hatchery to mitigate the impact of the Oroville Dam on Chinook salmon and steelhead populations because the dam blocks access to natural spawning grounds further upstream.

CONTROL BURN AT LOAFER CREEK
CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Plumas National Forest, DWR and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) are continuing control burn activities in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area near Lake Oroville. The goal of the control burn is to remove overgrown ladder fuels and dead and dying vegetation and minimize ground fuels to create a more wildfire resistant landscape.
Multiple burn areas were planned beginning Thursday, Nov. 17 and possibly continuing through the week of Nov. 21, depending on weather and incident activity in Butte County. Some intermittent trail closures in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area may occur. Trail users are advised to be “safety-aware” and obey posted trail closure signage. Smoke from the activity has been, and may continue to be, visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP.

OROVILLE RECREATION
Boaters are reminded that power boats are allowed on the Thermalito South Forebay as well as the Thermalito Afterbay. A 5-mph speed limit for all boats is in effect on the Afterbay north of the Highway 162 bridge and near the brood ponds on the east side of the reservoir, with regular boating rules in effect south of the Highway 162 bridge. No motorized boating is allowed in the Thermalito North Forebay.
The Monument Hill facility at Thermalito Afterbay provides boat ramp access, restrooms, a picnic area, and beach. The Thermalito South Forebay facility has a two-lane boat ramp, parking, restroom, picnic tables, BBQs, shade trees, and a fish cleaning station.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on Thanksgiving Day) and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views of Lake Oroville, the valley, the foothills and Sierra Nevada, and the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window open sunrise to sunset.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 665 feet elevation and storage is about 1.07 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 28 percent of its total capacity and 57 percent of the historical average. Temperatures are forecasted in the upper-50s to low-to-mid-60s over the weekend and into next week with a slight chance of showers early in the week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 1,600 cubic feet per second (cfs) and meet the downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 950 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 1,600 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 11/17/2022

DWR wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
The Lake Oroville Community Update will return on December 2, 2022.

Lake Oroville Community Update - November 11

11/11/2022

Water Quality Monitoring Underway
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently installed water quality monitoring devices called sondes in Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Diversion Pool. Sondes measure the water’s temperature, pH (acidic or basic level of hydrogen), dissolved oxygen (oxygen levels available to aquatic organisms), and turbidity (the clarity of water). Sonde data is collected around the clock every 15 minutes and is analyzed by the Water Quality Section of DWR’s Northern Region office. The monitoring devices are expected to remain in place until the runoff season ends, which is typically around May or June.
Routine water quality monitoring occurs on a monthly basis in Lake Oroville including three locations in the forks of the Feather River added to monitor runoff from burn scar areas in the Feather River watershed. In 2020, the multi-agency “Watershed Working Group”, led by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), implemented targeted monitoring of rivers, lakes, and other surface waters in the North Complex and Dixie fire burn areas and downstream. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and DWR collect and test water samples for analysis.

STATE WATER PROJECT CAPABILITY REPORT
The DWR released the State Water Project Delivery Capability Report 2021, which is generated every two years for the State Water Project’s (SWP) 29 water agencies for water supply planning.
With California entering a possible fourth dry year, the report will help water managers better understand how key factors like climate change and regulatory and operational considerations affect the operation of the SWP under historical and future scenarios. The report includes estimates on the SWP’s water delivery capability for current and future conditions based on three major factors:

The effects of population growth on California’s balance of water supply and demand
State legislation intended to help maintain a reliable water supply
Impact of potential climate change-driven shifts in hydrologic conditions

As California experiences a rapidly changing climate, the next report in 2023 will expand on the potential impacts of a shift to a hotter, drier future. This new modeling will be critical to helping SWP water supplier prepare for ongoing impacts to our water supply from climate change. The report is available on DWR’s Library Modeling and Analysis webpage.

DWR OFFERS GRANT PROGRAMS
DWR is accepting applications for $510 million in financial assistance to support water supply reliability, yard transformation, and migratory birds as California continues to be impacted by climate change and several years of drought conditions. “California is moving aggressively to transform the way we use and manage water so we can thrive in a hotter, drier future,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Newsom and the State Legislature, we are deploying much-needed funding to support communities, farmers, and wildlife as we stretch existing supplies and build climate resilience.”
The different grant programs target communities that rely on groundwater, farmers willing to support water conservation in the Delta and aid migratory birds, and an Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program to help large organizations, water agencies, and communities build resilience, replace thirsty lawns with California native landscaping, and promote water conservation. Information on who is eligible and how to apply before respective deadlines is available on DWR’s News Releases webpage.

OROVILLE RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee met on Nov. 4 at the Southside Community Center in Oroville. ORAC was established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review and provide recommendations regarding DWR’s recreation plan for the Project No. 2100 – Oroville Facilities. The 13-member committee is made up of representatives from state and local government, sports and recreation groups, and business and community organizations. To obtain a summary of the meeting, send a request to oroville@water.ca.gov

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville Visitors Center is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views of Lake Oroville, the valley, the foothills and Sierra Nevada, and the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area, including those around the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. There are paved, accessible trails with only slight elevation changes by the Visitor Center and the North Forebay Day Use Area. Other trails, such as the Brad Freeman Trail between the Spillway Day Use Area and the Diversion Pool, offer steep elevation changes to challenge hikers and mountain bikers. The Saddle Dam Trailhead has facilities for equestrians, including a large parking area to accommodate horse trailers, water trough, and hitching posts, and easy access to trails designated for hikers and horses.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage at https://water.ca.gov/What-We-Do/Recreation/Lake-Oroville-Recreation.
The Bidwell Canyon Stage III boat ramp remains open for boating and for fishing enthusiasts who are finding success at Lake Oroville. The Feather River Fish Hatchery continues to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking activities and is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window is open sunrise to sunset.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
Oroville’s reservoir is about 671 feet elevation and storage is about 1.05 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 30 percent of its total capacity and 59 percent of the historical average. Temperatures are forecasted in the upper-50s to low-to-mid-60s over the weekend and into next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,350 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,000 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 11/9/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - November 4

11/7/2022

State Water Project Capability Report
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the State Water Project Delivery Capability Report 2021, which is generated every two years for the State Water Project’s (SWP) 29 water agencies for water supply planning.
With California entering a possible fourth dry year, the report will help water managers better understand how key factors like climate change and regulatory and operational considerations affect the operation of the SWP under historical and future scenarios. The report includes estimates on the SWP’s water delivery capability for current and future conditions based on three major factors:

The effects of population growth on California’s balance of water supply and demand
State legislation intended to help maintain a reliable water supply
Impact of potential climate change-driven shifts in hydrologic conditions

As California experiences a rapidly changing climate, the next report in 2023 will expand on the potential impacts of a shift to a hotter, drier future. This new modeling will be critical to helping SWP water supplier prepare for ongoing impacts to our water supply from climate change. The report is available on the DWR website’s Library Modeling and Analysis webpage.

DWR Offers Grant Programs
DWR is accepting applications for $510 million in financial assistance to support water supply reliability, yard transformation, and migratory birds as California continues to be impacted by climate change and several years of drought conditions. “California is moving aggressively to transform the way we use and manage water so we can thrive in a hotter, drier future,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Newsom and the State Legislature, we are deploying much-needed funding to support communities, farmers, and wildlife as we stretch existing supplies and build climate resilience.”
The different grant programs target communities that rely on groundwater, farmers willing to support water conservation in the Delta and aid migratory birds, and an Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program to help large organizations, water agencies, and communities build resilience, replace thirsty lawns with California native landscaping, and promote water conservation. Information on who is eligible and how to apply before respective deadlines is available on the DWR website’s News Releases webpage.

Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee
The Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee met today, Nov. 4 at the Southside Community Center in Oroville. ORAC was established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review and provide recommendations regarding DWR’s recreation plan for the Project No. 2100 – Oroville Facilities. The 13-member committee is made up of representatives from state and local government, sports and recreation groups, and business and community organizations. To obtain a summary of the meeting, send a request to oroville@water.ca.gov

CONTROL BURN AT LOAFER CREEK
CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Plumas National Forest, and partners Department of Water Resources (DWR) and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) have completed control burn activities in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area near Lake Oroville. The control burn removed overgrown ladder fuels and dead and dying vegetation and minimized ground fuels to create a more wildfire resistant landscape. A total of 169 acres were treated.
Fuels reduction activities in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area and in the Oroville-Thermalito Complex’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) boundary are ramping up for the season and will continue through Spring 2023 as weather conditions permit and crews from CAL FIRE, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Conservation Corps are available.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Loafer Point Stage II boat ramp has closed due to falling lake levels. The Bidwell Canyon Stage III boat ramp remains open for boating and for fishing enthusiasts who are finding success at Lake Oroville.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery continues to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking activities and is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window is open sunrise to sunset.
The Lake Oroville Visitors Center is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers visitors numerous educational exhibits, a theater featuring videos about the building of Oroville Dam, walking and hiking trails, and a 47-foot-tall observation tower providing unsurpassed panoramic views of Lake Oroville, the valley, the foothills and Sierra Nevada, and the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area, including those around the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. There are paved, accessible trails with only slight elevation changes by the Visitor Center and the North Forebay Day Use Area. Other trails, such as the Brad Freeman Trail between the Spillway Day Use Area and the Diversion Pool, offer steep elevation changes to challenge hikers and mountain bikers. The Saddle Dam Trailhead has facilities for equestrians, including a large parking area to accommodate horse trailers, water trough, and hitching posts, and easy access to trails designated for hikers and horses.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage at https://water.ca.gov/What-We-Do/Recreation/Lake-Oroville-Recreation.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 676 feet elevation and storage is about 1.08 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 31 percent of its total capacity and 60 percent of historical average. Cooler temperatures in the low-50s to low-60s are forecast for the weekend with a winter storm arriving Sunday through Tuesday and occasional rain showers expected the rest of the week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,750 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,400 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 11/3/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - November 1

11/1/2022

November 1, 2022

Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee
The Oroville Recreation Advisory Committee (ORAC) will meet on Friday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Southside Oroville Community Center on 2959 Lower Wyandotte Road in Oroville. Presentations by the state Departments of Water Resources, Parks and Recreation, and Fish and Wildlife, as well as the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce will be provided.
ORAC was established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review and provide recommendations regarding DWR’s recreation plan for the FERC Project No. 2100 Oroville Facilities. The 13-member committee is made up of representatives from state and local government, sports and recreation groups, and business and community organizations. The public is invited to attend.

Lake Oroville Community Update - October 28

10/31/2022

October 28, 2022

Control Burn at Loafer Creek
CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Plumas National Forest, and partners Department of Water Resources (DWR) and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) will be continuing their planned control burn on over 200 acres in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area near Lake Oroville. The goal of the control burn is to remove overgrown ladder fuels and dead and dying vegetation and minimize ground fuels to create a more wildfire resistant landscape.
Around 116 acres have been treated as of Thursday night and over 95 acres are being targeted in the southwest portion of Loafer Creek. Multiple burn areas are planned beginning Monday, Oct. 31 and through the week, causing some intermittent trail closures in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area. Trail users are advised to be “safety-aware” and obey posted trail closure signage.
Control burn activities will take place depending on weather and incident activity in Butte County. Smoke from the activity has been, and may continue to be, visible in the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) works to reduce wildfire risk and increase public safety around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line, and preventing the fire from progressing. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP.

OROVILLE RADIAL GATES PROJECT
DWR and contractor staff successfully reinstalled the gate hoist assembly on Gate #8 at Oroville Dam’s Flood Control Outlet (FCO), or main spillway which will be available and fully operational throughout the flood season. The work was part of a multi-year project to perform maintenance repairs on the eight radial gate hoist assemblies of the FCO as part of the Oroville Radial Gates Maintenance Repair Project.
Unico will now begin work on the design and fabrication of a replica hoist that will be installed while subsequent hoists are removed for inspection and full maintenance repairs to address any deficiencies due to wear, age, and serviceability of the equipment. The design and fabrication phase of the project is anticipated to be completed by May 2023.
Occurring yearly beginning in 2023, maintenance repairs will be performed on one gate hoist assembly per year during the dry season (May 1 to Oct. 31) using the spare hoist assembly. The project is anticipated to be fully completed for all eight radial gates in 2030.

FLOOD PREPAREDNESS WEEK
More than seven million California residents are at risk of flooding, and many don’t realize it. Flooding happens throughout the state; every California county has received a flood-related emergency declaration in the past 20 years and flood events during and after drought conditions are not uncommon.
Make sure you are prepared for flood events through these three steps:

Be aware of your risk: Know whether your home is in a flood zone; pay attention to weather forecasts; and listen to local authorities.
Be prepared: Always have an emergency evacuation kit ready; be prepared to evacuate early; have a household inventory with copies of critical documents; and have a plan for where you will go in an emergency and what to do with your pets.
Take action: Evacuate immediately when advised to. Also, homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage due to flooding; consider purchasing flood insurance.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Loafer Point Stage II boat ramp is expected to close the week of Oct. 31 due to falling lake levels. The Bidwell Canyon Stage III boat ramp remains open for boating and for fishing enthusiasts who are finding success at Lake Oroville.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery continues to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking activities and is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window is open sunrise to sunset.
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area, including around the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. Paved trails there and at the North Forebay Day Use Area offer accessible trails with only slight elevation changes. Other trails, such as the Brad Freeman Trail between the Spillway Day Use Area and the Diversion Pool, offer trails with steep elevation changes to challenge hikers and mountain bikers. The Saddle Dam Trailhead has facilities for equestrians, including a large parking area to accommodate horse trailers, water trough, and hitching posts, and easy access to trails designated for hikers and horses.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage at https://water.ca.gov/What-We-Do/Recreation/Lake-Oroville-Recreation.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 682 feet elevation and storage is about 1.12 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 32 percent of its total capacity and 62 percent of historical average. Warmer temperatures are forecast for the weekend, cooling down next week with temperatures dropping into the low-to-upper-60s.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,750 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,400 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 10/27/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - October 21

10/24/2022

October 21, 2022

Flood Preparedness Week
More than seven million California residents are at risk of flooding, and many don’t realize it. Flooding happens throughout the state; every California county has received a flood-related emergency declaration in the past 20 years and flood events during and after drought conditions are not uncommon.
Make sure you are prepared for flood events through these three steps:

Be aware of your risk: Know whether your home is in a flood zone; pay attention to weather forecasts; and listen to local authorities.
Be prepared: Always have an emergency evacuation kit ready; be prepared to evacuate early; have a household inventory with copies of critical documents; and have a plan for where you will go in an emergency and what to do with your pets.
Take action: Evacuate immediately when advised to. Also, homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage due to flooding; consider purchasing flood insurance.

Even in drought conditions, climate change is resulting in extreme variations of weather, including large storm events which increase risk of flooding, particularly in areas damaged by wildfire. Wildfires dramatically change the landscape and ground conditions in a watershed. Natural, unburned vegetation and soil normally act as a sponge during a rainfall event. However, the heat from a fire can bake the ground, creating a surface that will not absorb water and can increase the speed with which water flows off the slope, leading to damaging, and sometimes catastrophic, mud and debris flows. These conditions can be present for years after a wildfire. Visit DWR’s Flood Preparedness webpage for information about keeping you, your loved ones, and community safe.

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency hosted its 12th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on Oct. 21. The public meeting was held at the Southside Oroville Community Center in Oroville and included a brief update on the development of a report on the Commission’s activities, presentations on inundation maps and new atmospheric river research, and an update on Oroville Dam facility winter operations. Public comments were also provided. Comments are also being collected on the draft 3-year report of the Commission’s activities. Please visit the Commission’s report webpage for details.
The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information on the meeting, please visit https://bit.ly/OrovilleCAC. A transcript of the meeting will be available on this webpage in the coming weeks.

Volunteer Opportunities Available
California Climate Action Corps - Community Climate Action Day is taking place on October 29, 2022, in Butte County. This event and celebration is hosted by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor, Community Organized Relief Effort, and Butte County community organizations. More than 100 volunteers will support projects throughout the county focused on urban greening, wildfire resiliency, and organic waste and edible food recovery.
California Climate Action Corps ”Community Climate Action Day” provides a great opportunity for persons to serve with other volunteers and get connected with organizations engaged in climate action work year-round. Sign up for a volunteer opportunity today!

OROVILLE RADIAL GATES PROJECT
DWR and contractor staff are continuing work on the multi-year project to perform maintenance repairs on the eight radial gate hoist assemblies of Oroville Dam’s Flood Control Outlet (FCO), or main spillway, as part of the Oroville Radial Gates Maintenance Repair Project.
In August, contractor Unico removed the gate hoist assembly located above FCO radial gate #8 for inspection, routine maintenance, and reverse engineering to develop design and fabrication drawings for a replica hoist. Work to reinstall the gate hoist assembly began on Oct. 17 so it will be available and fully operational throughout the flood season. This work is anticipated to be accomplished by Oct. 31. Crane operations from the Spillway bridge may be visible to the public.
After hoist #8 is re-installed by Unico, Unico will begin work on the design and fabrication of a replica hoist that will be installed while subsequent hoists are removed for inspection and full maintenance repairs to address any deficiencies due to wear, age, and serviceability of the equipment. The design and fabrication phase of the project is anticipated to be completed by May 2023.
Occurring yearly beginning in 2023, maintenance repairs will be performed on one gate hoist assembly per year during the dry season (May 1 to Oct. 31) using the spare hoist assembly. The project is anticipated to be fully completed for all eight radial gates in 2030.

CONTROL BURN AT LOAFER CREEK
CAL FIRE/Butte County Fire Department and partners DWR and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) postponed the planned control burn on 163 acres in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area near Lake Oroville. The CAL FIRE Vegetation Management Project’s work to remove overgrown ladder fuels and dead and dying vegetation has been rescheduled for the week of Oct. 24 depending on weather and incident activity in Butte County. Smoke from the activity may be visible around the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Program’s (FLMP) partnership with CAL FIRE and other organizations works to reduce wildfire risk, increase public safety, and enhance forest and watershed health around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP partnership projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line and preventing the fire from spreading forward. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP partnership.

OROVILLE RECREATION
DWR and State Parks maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. Popular with mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians, trails near the Thermalito Diversion Pool can be accessed from Cherokee Road and offer ample opportunity for viewing the local wildlife. Trails along the south side of the Diversion Pool can be accessed from the new trail access parking lot west of the South Feather Powerhouse and accessible from Hyatt Powerplant Road.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) staff at the Feather River Fish Hatchery continue to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking activities for the Chinook salmon returning to the Feather River to finish their life cycle and start a new one. The hatchery is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. where visitors can watch spawning operations when CDFW staff are working. The Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window is open sunrise to sunset.
The Loafer Point Stage II and Bidwell Canyon Stage III ramps continue to be open. The Spillway boat ramp and the Lime Saddle boat ramp are closed for the season and will re-open when lake levels rise again from upcoming fall and winter precipitation. Shuttle service to moored boats is available at the Lime Saddle Marina from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 686 feet elevation and storage is about 1.15 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 33 percent of its total capacity and 63 percent of historical average. A fall cool-down is forecasted for the weekend and into next week with temperatures dropping into the low-to-upper-70s.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,750 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,400 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 10/20/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - October 14

10/17/2022

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency is hosting its 12th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to noon. The public meeting will be held at the Southside Oroville Community Center, located at 2959 Lower Wyandotte Road, Oroville, CA 95966, and will include presentations and public comment.
The Commission will receive a brief update on the development of a report on the Commission’s activities, presentations on inundation maps and new atmospheric river research, and an update on Oroville Dam facility winter operations. There also will be time for public input. The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information on the meeting, please visit https://bit.ly/OrovilleCAC.

OROVILLE RADIAL GATES PROJECT
During the week of Oct. 17, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and contractor staff will continue work on the multi-year project to perform maintenance repairs on the eight radial gate hoist assemblies of Oroville Dam’s Flood Control Outlet (FCO), or main spillway, as part of the Oroville Radial Gates Maintenance Repair Project.
In August, contractor Unico removed the gate hoist assembly located above FCO radial gate #8 for inspection, routine maintenance, and reverse engineering to develop design and fabrication drawings for a replica hoist. Beginning Oct. 17, the gate hoist assembly will be reinstalled to be available and fully operational throughout the flood season. This work is anticipated to be accomplished over the next couple of weeks. Crane operations from the Spillway bridge may be visible to the public.
After hoist #8 is re-installed by Unico, Unico will begin work on the design and fabrication of a replica hoist that will be installed while subsequent hoists are removed for inspection and full maintenance repairs to address any deficiencies due to wear, age, and serviceability of the equipment. The design and fabrication phase of the project is anticipated to be completed by May 2023.
Occurring yearly beginning in 2023, maintenance repairs will be performed on one gate hoist assembly per year during the dry season (May 1 to Oct. 31) using the spare hoist assembly. The project is anticipated to be fully completed for all eight radial gates in 2030.

CONTROL BURN AT LOAFER CREEK
CAL FIRE/Butte County Fire Department will be working with DWR and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) to conduct a control burn on 163 acres in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area near Lake Oroville. The CAL FIRE Vegetation Management Project’s work to remove overgrown ladder fuels and dead and dying vegetation is scheduled to take place Oct. 17 – 31 depending on weather and incident activity in Butte County. Smoke from the activity may be visible around the Oroville area.
DWR’s Fuel Load Management Program’s (FLMP) partnership with CAL FIRE and other organizations works to reduce wildfire risk, increase public safety, and enhance forest and watershed health around Lake Oroville. Previous FLMP partnership projects in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area have been identified as contributing to the slowing of the 2020 North Complex Fire as it approached Kelly Ridge, increasing firefighters’ ability to establish a secure fire line and preventing the fire from spreading forward. Ongoing management of this critical area remains a high priority for the FLMP partnership.
TRAFFIC ALERTButte County Public Works Department crews will be paving the entrances to Vance Avenue and Palm Avenue near the Oroville Wildlife Area south of the Thermalito Afterbay Monday, Oct. 17 through Thursday, Oct. 20. One-way traffic controls will be in effect and traffic delays should be expected. The department has also performed grading work on Vance Avenue as part of the improvement project.

OROVILLE RECREATION
There are newer trails on the north side of the Thermalito Diversion Pool, including sections of the area’s Brad Freeman Trail that have been re-aligned and which switchback up a new hill made from rock and dirt left over from the spillways project. This trail provides beautiful views of the Valley, Table Mountain, and the Diversion Pool where an abundant wealth of wildlife, including bald eagles, osprey, and burrowing owls, can be viewed.
Popular with mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians, the Diversion Pool’s trails can be accessed from Cherokee Road. Trails along the south side of the Diversion Pool can be accessed from the new trail access parking lot west of the South Feather Powerhouse and accessible from Hyatt Powerplant Road.
Trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), day use areas, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) staff at the Feather River Fish Hatchery continue to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking activities for the chinook salmon returning to the Feather River to finish their life cycle and start a new one. The hatchery is open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. where visitors can watch spawning operations when CDFW staff are working. The Fish Barrier Dam Overlook area and underwater viewing window is open sunrise to sunset.
The Loafer Point Stage II and Bidwell Canyon Stage III ramps continue to be open and will remain so for the rest of the season. The Spillway boat ramp and the Lime Saddle boat ramp are closed for the season and will re-open when lake levels rise again from upcoming fall and winter precipitation. Shuttle service to moored boats is available at the Lime Saddle Marina from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 690 feet elevation and storage is about 1.18 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 34 percent of its total capacity and 64 percent of historical average. A mild cool-down is forecasted for the latter part of the weekend with temperatures dropping into the upper-70s and variable temperatures ranging from the low- to-upper-80s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,750 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,400 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 10/13/2022

Lake Oroville COmmunity Update - September 23

9/26/2022

September 23, 2022
Taking Action to Protect Salmon
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) leads or supports more than 120 ongoing projects to protect endangered or threatened species in California’s waterways, including salmon. DWR is partnering with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and many other federal, state, local, non-governmental, tribal, and academic partners to study, support, and protect salmon while continuing to meet the health and safety water needs of our communities.
Over the past several months, DWR has been sharing on its social media channels newly created videos and a storymap featuring some of these projects. The content highlights the ways DWR and its partners are restoring critical habitat, improving migration success, and increasing monitoring efforts to better track the status of salmon populations and devise new strategies to improve their status, especially as climate change impacts increase.
These videos and other educational videos about salmon can be found on DWR’s social media channels – Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram – as well as on the DWR YouTube channel (search for Salmon 2022). The storymap, first found in the news release “State Agencies Partner to Support Salmon Populations While Supplying Water To Millions of Californians” published this spring, has been updated with each new video. A selection of these videos, as well as a virtual tour of the Feather River Fish Hatchery, will be shown at Oroville’s historic State Theater during the Salmon Festival on Saturday, Sept. 24.

SALMON FESTIVAL
The Oroville Salmon Festival is always held on the last Saturday in September to celebrate the annual return of Chinook salmon to the Feather River.
The 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. event on Sept. 24 is centered around the Feather River Fish Hatchery and Historic Downtown Oroville. From an ‘Arts & Crafts Alley’ and Oro Dam Cruisers ‘Gold Rush Car Show’ on Montgomery Street, to a kids activity zone, food vendors (including BBQ salmon), music, live glass blowing, and informational booths, visitors and families will find many activities to enjoy in Oroville’s historic downtown and along the Feather River levee.
North of downtown Oroville, across the Feather River, the Feather River Fish Hatchery will open at 9 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. for visitors wishing to learn more about the yearly return of Chinook salmon to the river. Educational tours will be offered throughout the day and visitors will find informational booths, food, a mobile fish exhibit, and a chance to cast a fly-fishing rod. On the northeast side of the hatchery site, the Fish Barrier Dam Overlook, fish ladder, and underwater viewing window are also open to the public.
Those wanting to see the salmon in their natural habitat can sign up for the Forebay Aquatic Center’s “Feather River Salmon Tours” kayak trips down the Feather River. DWR biologists will offer participants education about the salmonid life cycle and river habitat. For details, visit the Salmon Festival’s website.

HATCHERY FISH LADDER IS OPEN
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery opened the fish ladder on Sept. 19.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can view salmon congregating and jumping in the Feather River and see them up close through the Underwater Viewing Window as they swim up the fish ladder. The Overlook is located off Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Hatchery, open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery’s spawning operations enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released every spring. This year, the hatchery released 11.3 million young Chinook salmon smolts and 497,000 steelhead to the waters of the Feather River, San Pablo Bay, and San Francisco Bay to support Northern California and Pacific Ocean fisheries. The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project facility owned and maintained by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which funds hatchery operations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) operates the hatchery, including fish spawning, rearing, and stocking activities.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Spillway boat ramp and the Lime Saddle boat ramp are closed due to lake elevations falling below safe launching levels. The Loafer Point Stage II and Bidwell Canyon Stage III ramps continue to be open and are anticipated to remain open through the winter.
Boaters are reminded the Lime Saddle Marina will remain open and shuttle service to moored boats is available from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
A return to warmer temperatures and less smoke from area wildfires provides a welcome opportunity to take advantage of the spectacular views from the crest of Oroville Dam. Visitors can often see bicyclists, walkers, and joggers on the 1.01-mile length of the crest (2.02 miles round-trip) where a near constant breeze makes for a comfortable exercise experience and offers occasional spotting of Lake Oroville’s bald eagles riding the air currents by the dam..
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, all open to hiking, with some also allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. And step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State Water Project and history of the area.

POSITION OPENING
DWR’s Oroville Field Division is seeking applicants for the position of Public Information Officer II to perform the professional and technical tasks related to community outreach, media relations, and public affairs activities, focusing on DWR’s activities in the Oroville area and the long-term response to the Oroville Dam spillway incident.
Persons interested in joining one of the top communications teams in California state service can find information and instructions about how to apply on the DWR Careers website (click on the ‘View Jobs’ button and enter ‘Public Information Officer’ into the search tab. Or contact the Hiring Unit Contact at 916-820-7660 or debra.carlson@water.ca.gov. The final filing date is Oct. 4, 2022.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 700 feet elevation and storage is about 1.25 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 36 percent of its total capacity and 64 percent of historical average. Temperatures this weekend are forecasted to be in the low-90s with decreasing temperatures ranging in the low-to-mid-80s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,850 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,500 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 9/22/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - September 16

9/20/2022

September 16, 2022
Salmon Festival
The Oroville Salmon Festival returns to Oroville on Saturday, Sept. 24. Always held on the last Saturday in September, the festival celebrates the annual return of Chinook salmon to the Feather River.
The 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. event will be centered around the Feather River Fish Hatchery and Historic Downtown Oroville. From an ‘Arts & Crafts Alley’ and Oro Dam Cruisers ‘Gold Rush Car Show’ on Montgomery Street, to a kids activity zone, food vendors (including BBQ salmon), music, live glass blowing, and informational booths, visitors and families will find many activities to enjoy in Oroville’s historic downtown and along the Feather River levee.
North of downtown Oroville, across the Feather River, the Feather River Fish Hatchery will open at 9 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. for visitors wishing to learn more about the yearly return of Chinook salmon to the river. Educational tours will be offered throughout the day and visitors will find informational booths, food, a mobile fish exhibit, and a chance to cast a fly-fishing rod. On the northeast side of the hatchery site, the Fish Barrier Dam Overlook, fish ladder, and underwater viewing window are also open to the public.
Those wanting to see the salmon in their natural habitat can sign up for the Forebay Aquatic Center’s “Feather River Salmon Tours” kayak trips down the Feather River. DWR biologists will offer participants education about the salmonid life cycle and river habitat. For details, visit the Salmon Festival’s website.

HATCHERY FISH LADDER OPENS
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery will begin their spawning activities when the fish ladder opens Monday, Sept. 19.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can view salmon congregating and jumping in the Feather River and see them up close through the Underwater Viewing Window as they swim up the fish ladder. The Overlook is located off Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Hatchery, open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery’s spawning operations enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released every spring. This year, the hatchery released 11.3 million young Chinook salmon smolts to the waters of the Feather River, San Pablo Bay, and San Francisco Bay to support Northern California and Pacific Ocean fisheries. The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project facility owned and maintained by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which funds hatchery operations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) operates the hatchery, including fish spawning, rearing, and stocking activities.

Oroville Recreation
The Lime Saddle boat ramp is closed with lake elevations falling below safe launching levels and the Spillway boat ramp is anticipated to close the week of Sept. 19. The Bidwell Canyon Stage III and Loafer Point Stage II boat ramps are open and are anticipated to remain open through the winter.
Boaters are reminded the Lime Saddle Marina will remain open and shuttle service to moored boats is available from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay also provide boating, hiking, biking, fishing, and other recreation opportunities. Please pay extra attention when boating in the Afterbay, as hundreds of baby Western and Clark’s Grebes have hatched in the Afterbay over the last few weeks. These new hatchlings do not yet have good mobility and are very vulnerable to boats at full speed, so please use caution.
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, all open to hiking, with some also allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. Step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State Water Project and history of the area.

Campgrounds Close in Plumas National Forest
As the summer recreation season draws to a close, the Plumas National Forest is beginning the slow process of winterizing and closing recreation sites. Area residents and visitors are encouraged to check that recreation sites are still open. Find more information on the Plumas National Forest webpage by scrolling down to the “Seasonal Recreation Changes” news release.

Current Lake Operations
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 701 feet elevation and storage is about 1.26 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 36 percent of its total capacity and 64 percent of historical average. Temperatures this weekend are forecasted in the low-80s-to-mid-70s with temperatures increasing towards the low-90s later in the week. About 1-1.5 inches of precipitation is forecasted in the Feather River watershed beginning Saturday through early next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 2,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 650 cfs with 1,850 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 2,500 cfs downstream of the Outlet. DWR continues to assess releases to the Feather River daily.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 9/15/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - September 9

9/13/2022

September 9, 2022
Hatchery Fish Ladder Opens
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery will begin their spawning activities when the fish ladder opens Thursday, Sept. 15.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can view salmon congregating and jumping in the Feather River and see them up close through the Underwater Viewing Window as they swim up the fish ladder. The Overlook is located off Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Hatchery, open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For the 28th Annual Salmon Festival on Sept. 24, hatchery hours are changed to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Festival activities in downtown Oroville will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a pancake breakfast, car show, arts & crafts, kids zone, food trucks, BBQ salmon, and more. Information about the festival is available on the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce website.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery’s spawning operations enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released every spring. This year, the hatchery released 11.3 million young Chinook salmon smolts to the waters of the Feather River, San Pablo Bay, and San Francisco Bay to support Northern California and Pacific Ocean fisheries. The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project facility owned and maintained by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which funds hatchery operations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) operates the hatchery, including fish spawning, rearing, and stocking activities.

BOAT RAMP STATUS
The Lime Saddle boat ramp is closed with lake elevations falling below safe launching levels and the Spillway boat ramp is anticipated to close the week of Sept. 12. The Bidwell Canyon and Loafer Point boat ramps are open and will remain open through the rest of the year. Boaters are reminded the Lime Saddle Marina will remain open and shuttle service to moored boats is available from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
The Monument Hill, Wilbur Road, and Larkin Road boat ramps on the Thermalito Afterbay are open and power and sail boating is permitted from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Please pay extra attention when boating in the Afterbay, as hundreds of baby Western and Clark’s Grebes have hatched in the Afterbay over the last two weeks as noted below. These new hatchlings do not yet have good mobility and are very vulnerable to boats at full speed, so please use caution. The Thermalito South Forebay is open to power and sail boating from 8 a.m. to sunset. The North Forebay off Highway 70 is open to non-motorized boating and is open 8 a.m. to sunset.
Boaters are reminded that abiding by all boating safety requirements, including wearing life jackets and following speed restrictions, will ensure an enjoyable and safe recreation experience for all.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, all open to hiking, with some also allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. Step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State Water Project and history of the area.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay also provide a wide range of recreation opportunities including fishing, hiking, biking' and boating. Non-motorized boating is permitted in the North Forebay, and motorized boating is permitted in the South Forebay and Afterbay. The North Forebay Aquatic Center has kayaks, paddle boards, and other watercraft available for rent. Non-motorized boating is also permitted in the Thermalito Diversion Pool with car-top boat launching access just before the restroom on Cherokee Road. Lake Oroville and the Oroville Wildlife Area also have car-top boat launch areas.
CAMPGROUNDS CLOSE IN PLUMAS NATIONAL FORESTAs the summer recreation season draws to a close, the Plumas National Forest is beginning the slow process of winterizing and closing recreation sites. Area residents and visitors are encouraged to check that recreation sites are still open. Find more information on the Plumas National Forest webpage by scrolling down to the “Seasonal Recreation Changes” news release.

BLUE GREEN ALGAE MONITORING
While monitoring by DWR environmental scientists for blue-green algae and their toxins at Lake Oroville, the Thermalito North Forebay, and the Thermalito Afterbay only goes through Labor Day, DWR staff will respond to test any observed algal blooms. There are currently no harmful algal bloom (HAB) advisories for any of those waterbodies.
If elevated levels of cyanobacteria toxins are found, DWR staff work with California’s Regional Water Quality Control Board and recreation area managers to notify the public and post advisory signs at affected waterbodies. To learn more about HABs, or to report a HAB, visit the Water Board’s website.
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a natural component of ecosystems. Under certain conditions, including warmer temperatures and increased nutrient loads, algae can grow rapidly causing “blooms.” Algal blooms sometimes produce toxins that can be harmful to people and animals.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 704 feet elevation and storage is about 1.28 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 36 percent of its total capacity and 64 percent of historical average. Expect a reprieve from the extreme warm temperatures this weekend through next week, with temperatures in the low-90s over the weekend and further dropping to the high-to-mid-80s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 3,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 800 cfs with 2,700 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 3,500 cfs downstream of the Outlet. On Sunday, Sept. 11, flow from the Outlet will be reduced from 2,700 cfs to 2,200 cfs for a total downstream flow of 3,000 cfs.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 9/8/2022

Lake Oroville Community Update - August 26

8/29/2022

August 26, 2022

Grebes Nests Receive Help from DWR
Western and Clark’s grebes, with their distinctive red eyes, graceful necks, and long yellow bills, have returned to the Thermalito Afterbay for their nesting season. The shallow nature of the Afterbay is perfect for these two species of grebes who, along with only a few other aquatic bird species, build their nests on the water’s surface. Reservoirs like Thermalito Afterbay support more than 90 percent of the state’s breeding-grebe population, according to the Audubon Society.
DWR voluntarily restricts fluctuating the elevation of the Thermalito Afterbay for several weeks during the grebes nesting season because significant decreases in reservoir elevation could strand the nests out of the water or submerge them if elevations increase. Find more information about the grebes on the DWR Updates webpage. Photos can be found on DWR’s Pixel webpage – enter Grebes in the search bar after creating a free username and password to log in.

Fish Advisory for Antelope Lake
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released an advisory for safe eating advice for black bass species, bullhead species, Golden Shiner, and sunfish species caught at Antelope Lake in Plumas County due to levels of mercury found in fish caught from the lake. The fish species tested at Antelope Lake had lower contaminant levels than is typical at many other California water bodies. All species tested at Antelope Lake can be eaten at least two times a week.
Mercury is released into the environment from mining and burning coal. It accumulates in fish in the form of methylmercury, which can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in developing children and fetuses. Because of this, OEHHA provides recommendations for safe eating that vary by age and gender. More information can be found in the OEHHA news release.

OROVILLE RECREATION AND BOAT RAMP UPDATE
The boat ramp at Lime Saddle recreation area will be closing Monday, Aug. 29 as lake elevations fall below safe launching levels. The Lime Saddle Marina will remain open.
The Bidwell Canyon, Spillway, and Loafer Point boat ramps remain open, along with the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas. Reservations for campgrounds in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) can be made by visiting the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CA Parks) LOSRA website.
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, open to hiking, with some also allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. Step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State Water Project and history of the area.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay also provide a wide range of recreation opportunities including fishing, hiking, biking and boating. Non-motorized boating is permitted in the North Forebay, and motorized boating is permitted in the South Forebay and Afterbay. The North Forebay Aquatic Center has kayaks, paddle boards, and other watercraft available for rent. Non-motorized boating is also permitted in the Thermalito Diversion Pool with car-top boat launching access just before the restroom on Cherokee Road. Lake Oroville and the Oroville Wildlife Area also have car-top boat launch areas.

TRACKING DOVE POPULATIONS
Staff from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), along with assistance from DWR staff, have been in the Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) since July 11 to collect information on the local mourning dove population. Working in the safflower and sunflower fields in the OWA, planted by CDFW staff to provide a readily available food source for doves and many other bird species, staff successfully captured and placed identifying bands on 33 doves.
Mourning doves are an important migratory game bird and California is one of 39 states participating in a national effort to monitor the mourning dove population in order to better estimate annual survival and guide harvest-management decisions. CDFW and DWR staff record the sex and approximate age of each banded bird and place a metal band with a unique identification number and a toll-free phone number to report the band around the dove’s leg.
The hunter is the critical link in the dove banding study. Their reporting of the dove’s leg band enables wildlife managers to understand the effects of annual hunting regulations on mourning dove populations and allows for greater understanding of their migratory patterns. The Oroville Wildlife Area is a popular hunting location and CDFW expects 80 to 100 opening day hunters when Dove season opens on Sept. 1.
For more information on CDFW activities in the OWA to increase forage for local and migratory birds, visit the DWR Updates webpage and search 'sunflower' to access the digital article and previous stories in the Lake Oroville Community Update newsletter.

CHINOOK SALMON RETURN TO THE FEATHER RIVER
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery plans to open the fish ladder the week of Sept. 12 to begin hatchery spawning operations which enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released to the river every spring.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can watch salmon jumping and after the fish ladder opens in mid-September, visitors can watch salmon swim up the ladder at the Underwater Viewing window. The Overlook is located off Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the hatchery (open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and attend the 28th Annual Salmon Festival in Oroville on Sept. 24.

BLUE GREEN ALGAE MONITORING
DWR environmental scientists regularly monitor Lake Oroville, the Thermalito North Forebay, and the Thermalito Afterbay for blue-green algae and their toxins, taking water samples from various locations regularly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There are currently no harmful algal bloom (HAB) advisories for Lake Oroville, the Thermalito Forebay, or the Thermalito Afterbay.
If elevated levels of cyanobacteria toxins are found, DWR staff work with California’s Regional Water Quality Control Board and recreation area managers to notify the public and post advisory signs at affected waterbodies. To learn more about HABs, or to report a HAB, visit the Water Board’s website.
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a natural component of ecosystems. Under certain conditions, including warmer temperatures and increased nutrient loads, algae can grow rapidly causing “blooms.” Algal blooms sometimes produce toxins that can be harmful to people and animals.
Visit this comparison chart on the HABs website for additional information.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 709 feet elevation and storage is about 1.32 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 38 percent of its total capacity and 63 percent of historical average. Temperatures are forecasted to be in the low 90s through the weekend and increasing to the upper 90s and low 100s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 1,000 cfs with 2,000 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 3,000 cfs downstream of the Outlet. Flows through the low flow channel may be reduced next week for fisheries purposes.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 8/25/2022

Lake Oroville COmmunity Update - August 19

8/22/2022

August 19, 2022
Tracking Dove Populations
Staff from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), along with assistance from California Department of Water Resources (DWR) staff, have been in the Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) since July 11 to collect information on the local mourning dove population. Working in the safflower and sunflower fields in the OWA, that were planted by CDFW staff to provide a readily available food source for doves and many other bird species, staff successfully captured and placed identifying bands on 33 doves.
Mourning doves are an important migratory game bird and California is one of 39 states participating in a national effort to monitor the mourning dove population in order to better estimate annual survival and guide harvest-management decisions. CDFW and DWR staff record the sex and approximate age of each banded bird and place a metal band with a unique identification number and a toll-free phone number to report the band around the dove’s leg.
The hunter is the critical link in the dove banding study. Their reporting of the dove’s leg band enables wildlife managers to understand the effects of annual hunting regulations on mourning dove populations and allows for greater understanding of their migratory patterns. The Oroville Wildlife Area is a popular hunting location and CDFW expects 80 to 100 opening day hunters when Dove season opens on Sept. 1.
For more information on CDFW activities in the OWA to increase forage for local and migratory birds, visit the DWR Updates webpage and search “sunflower” to access the digital article and previous stories in the Lake Oroville Community Update newsletter.

CHINOOK SALMON RETURN TO THE FEATHER RIVER
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery plans to open up the fish ladder the week of Sept. 12 to begin hatchery spawning operations which enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released to the river every spring.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can watch salmon jumping and after the fish ladder opens in mid-September, visitors can watch salmon swim up the ladder at the Underwater Viewing window. The Overlook is located off Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Hatchery (open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and attend the 28th Annual Salmon Festival in Oroville on Sept. 24.

WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY
Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced California’s latest actions to increase water supply and adapt to more extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. The actions, outlined in a strategy document called “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” (Strategy), follows $8 billion in state investments over the last two years to help store, recycle, de-salt, and conserve the water needed to keep up with the increasing pace of climate change.
The strategy calls for investing in new sources of water supply, accelerating projects, and modernizing how the state manages water through the use of new technologies. Strategies to rebuild the way we source, store, and deliver water include creating storage space above and below ground to capitalize on big storms when they do occur, better recycling and safer reuse of wastewater currently discharged into the ocean, becoming more efficient water users through conservation, desalination efforts – especially of brackish groundwater which requires significantly less energy to treat than seawater, and groundwater recharge.
An additional $2.8 billion in the 2022-23 budget for drought relief to hard hit communities, water conservation, environmental protection for fish and wildlife, and long-term projects to permanently strengthen drought resilience will help combat the accelerating impacts of the warming climate on our water supply. Governor Newsom anticipates working with the Legislature to achieve statewide goals by creating local solutions through collaboration within and across watersheds. The news release and link to the Strategy report is available on the Office of the Governor’s newsroom webpage.

BLUE GREEN ALGAE MONITORING
DWR environmental scientists regularly monitor Lake Oroville, the Thermalito North Forebay, and the Thermalito Afterbay for blue-green algae and their toxins, taking water samples from various locations regularly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There are currently no harmful algal bloom (HAB) advisories for Lake Oroville, the Thermalito Forebay, or the Thermalito Afterbay.
If elevated levels of cyanobacteria toxins are found, DWR staff work with California’s Regional Water Quality Control Board and recreation area managers to notify the public and post advisory signs at affected waterbodies. To learn more about HABs, or to report a HAB, visit the Water Board’s website.
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a natural component of ecosystems. Under certain conditions, including warmer temperatures and increased nutrient loads, algae can grow rapidly causing “blooms.” Algal blooms sometimes produce toxins that can be harmful to people and animals.
Visit this comparison chart on the HABs website for additional information.

OROVILLE RECREATION
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, open to hiking, with some also allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. Step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State Water Project and history of the area.
At Lake Oroville, the Lime Saddle, Bidwell Canyon, Spillway, and Loafer Point boat ramps are open, along with the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas. Reservations for campgrounds in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) can be made by visiting the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CA Parks) LOSRA website.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay also provide a wide range of recreation opportunities including fishing, hiking, biking and boating. Non-motorized boating is permitted in the North Forebay, and motorized boating is permitted in the South Forebay and Afterbay. The North Forebay Aquatic Center has kayaks, paddle boards, and other watercraft available for rent. Non-motorized boating is also permitted in the Thermalito Diversion Pool with kayak access just before the restroom on Cherokee Road. Lake Oroville and the Oroville Wildlife Area also have car-top boat launch areas.

CURRENT LAKE OPERATIONS
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 713 feet elevation and storage is about 1.35 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 38 percent of its total capacity and 62 percent of historical average. Temperatures are forecasted to continue in the low-100s through the weekend and slightly dropping to the high-90s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are 1,000 cfs with 2,000 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 3,000 cfs downstream of the Outlet. Flows through the low flow channel may fluctuate through the week for fisheries purposes.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 8/18/2022

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