Update on Lake Oroville Operations - April 11,2023
Salmon spawn in the feather river gravel restoration project area during the fall season in Oroville, Calif. on October 16th, 2014.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is temporarily increasing releases from Lake Oroville to the Feather River to assist with spring fish planting operations. Flows to the Feather River will increase to 10,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) today with 4,000 cfs flowing through the low-flow channel within the City of Oroville.
The temporary increase in water flow is performed to boost survival rates of spring-run Chinook salmon as they migrate from the Feather River to the ocean. DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are also planting pre-smolt fall-run Chinook salmon to help alleviate the effects of drought on fall-run Chinook salmon populations.
Feather River releases are closely coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and downstream water operators. DWR continues to closely monitor lake inflow levels from spring snowmelt and will adjust releases accordingly.
The information below reflects current reservoir level estimates. Forecasts can change quickly and may affect the estimates provided.
- Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 863 feet elevation
- Current Storage Capacity: 85 percent
- Total Releases to the Feather River: temporary increase to 10,500 cfs; will decrease in stages in the coming weeks
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.
Future updates will be provided based on operational changes to Lake Oroville releases.