Lake Oroville Update - August 16, 2024

Brad Freeman Trail Improvements

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is making progress on a project to improve a 1.5-mile section of the Brad Freeman Trail between Cherokee Road and the Highway 70 Garden Drive overpass. DWR crews are removing old asphalt and nearby vegetation and laying base rock along the trail in preparation for future paving work. Trail paving is expected to occur in September, with the work schedule subject to change based on material and crew availability.

 

Overall trail improvements include upgrading the existing gravel/dirt trail to include an 8-foot-wide asphalt path for cyclists and a 4-foot-wide decomposed granite path for pedestrians. Existing entrance bollards will also be replaced with wider, accessible box gates. The improvement project is supported by a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant through the National Park Service, with remaining funding for the $700,000 project provided by DWR. During construction, portions of the Brad Freeman Trail may be closed intermittently for paving and grading work. Trail improvements are being completed in phases and work may be suspended during the winter months depending on weather conditions. Project completion is expected by June 2025.

 

Improving River Flow Measurements

DWR has a new partnership opportunity to support the state’s ability to measure stream and river flows through the California Stream Gage Improvement Program (CalSIP) as climate extremes continue to impact the state’s water supply.

As part of the approximately $7 million program, DWR is seeking to partner with public agencies to install, upgrade and/or reactivate existing stream gage stations. A stream gage is a set of instruments installed along a river or stream that measures, records, and transmits data on flow, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels. Water agencies and the public rely on the essential information these gages provide for multiple purposes including: 

• Planning, forecasting, and warning about floods and drought conditions
• Managing and informing reservoir operations
• Monitoring environmental conditions to protect aquatic habitats
• Planning for safe and enjoyable recreational activities
• Assessing groundwater and surface water interaction
• Monitoring stream flow impacts due to long-term changes in weather patterns

 

More information about the new program is available in DWR’s press release.

 

DWR Holds Emergency Preparedness Exercise

DWR’s Oroville Field Division hosted an emergency preparedness exercise Aug. 7 for staff and local emergency management agency partners including the Butte County Sheriff’s Office and Cal OES. The exercise included a review of the Oroville-Thermalito Complex dams, inundation maps, and an overview of DWR’s incident command team structure which follows National Incident Management System (NIMS) guidelines established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

 

Public safety is DWR’s top priority as a critical infrastructure operator. The exercise reinforces DWR’s commitment to enhancing emergency preparedness and maintaining relationships and collaboration with local emergency response partners. A second, more in-depth emergency exercise is scheduled later this month in which DWR staff and local emergency management partners will respond to a mock emergency scenario. DWR leads emergency preparedness trainings on a yearly basis to ensure Oroville Field Division staff readiness for any type of emergency or incident.

 

Oroville Recreation

Staffed by knowledgeable guides, the Lake Oroville 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. Parking and admission to the Visitor Center are free.

 

DWR, State Parks, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) maintain over 92 miles of trails in the Oroville area. An interactive map of recreation facilities, including open trails and their permitted uses (hike, bike, horse, multi), is available on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. A paper trail map is available at various locations, including most entrance kiosks and the Lake Oroville Visitor Center.

 

Lake Oroville is also one of California’s best fishing spots. The lake provides both warm-water and cold-water fisheries and is a popular destination for bass tournaments. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services including a convenience store, gas, boat rentals, and more.

 

Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between January 1 and August 10 are:  

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,121
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 2,567
• Steelhead: 904

 

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 836 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.52 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 74 percent of its total capacity and 114 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 1,300 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with 6,700 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 8,000 cfs downstream.  DWR continues to assess Feather River releases daily. 

 

Releases from Oroville Dam’s main spillway ceased earlier this summer, but water is still being released through the Hyatt Powerplant for power generation, water deliveries, and environmental requirements. When the main spillway is not in use, water may still be seen on the main spillway outlet as the seals on the eight radial gates are not designed to be watertight. The gate seals do not play a role in the structural integrity of the gates. Visitors to Oroville Dam may also notice minor amounts of water flowing from drains built into the emergency spillway. This is normal and expected given the emergency spillway design. The dam and emergency spillway continue to operate as intended.

 

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 8/15/2024.

 

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