Lake Oroville Update - November 8, 2024

Vegetation Management Activities 

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and its partners are resuming Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) activities on DWR property along Oro Dam Blvd. East near the Hyatt Powerplant, the Bidwell Canyon/Kelly Ridge area, and the Loafer Creek State Recreation Area. This multi-year project is reducing hazardous fuels and the risk of catastrophic wildfire by thinning vegetation using hand and mechanical methods, accompanied by chipping. By proactively reducing ground fuels, thinning overgrown vegetation, and removing dead and dying vegetation, firefighters have a better chance at suppressing a wildfire. HMPG work began in 2023 and is supported by grant funding totaling $667,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to complete a 220-acre hazardous fuels reduction project in the Lake Oroville area.

 

Vegetation management activities may require the intermittent closure of several trails throughout the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. Trail users should be cautious when entering work areas and obey all posted trail signage. 

  

Since 2012, DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan has helped reduce wildfire risk, increase public safety, and enhance forest health around the Lake Oroville area. Between early 2013 and June 2024, DWR and its local partners have treated or retreated more than 2,500 acres of vegetation. Ongoing vegetation management of this critical area remains a high priority for DWR and its partners at CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, the California Conservation Corps (CCC), the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), and the Butte County Fire Safe Council.

 

Salmon Spawning Operations

DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) continue spawning activities for fall-run Chinook salmon at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville. As part of their 2- to 5-year lifecycle, fall-run Chinook salmon traditionally migrate from the Feather River to the ocean, and return to the Feather River to spawn. Fall-run start returning as early as July and continue through November. Many make their way to the Hatchery, where DWR and CDFW staff process salmon by collecting, fertilizing, incubating their eggs, then raising and releasing fish.  

 

With lingering drought impacts to California Chinook salmon populations, DWR and CDFW have significantly increased Chinook salmon egg collection by several million to boost populations not only in the Feather River, but also in the Central Valley. Chinook salmon raised at the Feather River Fish Hatchery will later be released in the Feather River and San Francisco Bays to support inland and ocean fisheries. In addition, DWR and CDFW continue thiamine treatments to combat B1 vitamin deficiencies. This treatment improves the health of the fish, increasing the survival of Chinook salmon from egg to juvenile.

 

Spillway Maintenance Activities

In early October, DWR completed routine annual cleaning and inspections of Oroville Dam’s main spillway chute to assess the condition of the spillway’s concrete slabs, walls, joint sealant, and dentates (energy dissipators at the base of the spillway structure). Following inspections, minor concrete repairs, slab epoxy coating, and joint sealant work were identified for localized areas of the spillway. Maintenance activities are nearing completion with work expected to be finished by Friday, Nov. 15 depending on weather conditions.

 

While the main spillway continues to perform well and operate as designed, periodic concrete and sealant repairs of the spillway are expected due to seasonal temperature variations, spillway releases, and sun exposure. The spillway was rebuilt to the highest engineering and safety standards with oversight and guidance by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD), and an independent board of consultants. DWR performed a significant amount of inspection and testing throughout construction to verify compliance with project specifications. DWR also provides regular updates to the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission, a public forum for discussing operations, maintenance, and public safety activities at Oroville Dam and its facilities.

 

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, 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 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. Be sure to check CDFW fishing regulations before you go out fishing. 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 Jan. 1 and Oct. 18 are:  

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,152
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 26,077
• Steelhead: 1,245

 

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 759 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.69 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 49 percent of its total capacity and 94 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 1,750 cfs downstream. DWR continues to assess Feather River releases 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 11/7/2024.

 

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