Update on Lake Oroville Operations - March 9, 2023
Image of Lake Oroville on March 8, 2023.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) began increasing releases to the Feather River through the Hyatt Powerplant on Wednesday. These releases provide flood control protection for downstream communities and are coordinated closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other water operators.
The information below reflects current reservoir level estimates. Forecasts can change quickly and may affect the estimates provided.
- Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 838 feet elevation
- Current Total Releases to the Feather River: approximately 7,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Current Releases from the Oroville Main Spillway: None; spillway releases are scheduled to begin Friday, March 10
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. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize water storage while allowing for carryover storage into next year.
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