Lake Oroville Update - June 13, 2025

Golden Mussel Inspection Program

DWR’s mussel inspection program in Oroville is underway to protect State Water Project (SWP) infrastructure. Mandatory watercraft inspections are required prior to launching at the Oroville Facilities (Lake Oroville, Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay). Watercraft that pass the inspection will receive a seal and can launch during designated ramp hours.

    

Watercraft Inspection Location/Decontamination Services

North Thermalito Forebay at Garden Drive and HWY 70 in Oroville 

Hours of operation: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

 

Watercraft inspections and decontamination services at DWR’s Oroville facilities are free. To pass an inspection, watercraft and trailers must not have any attached mussels and be clean and 100 percent dry. Watercraft with ballast bags/tanks, bilge, and motors must have a working battery and be operational to complete required inspections. Be sure to bring your vessel’s keys! Since the watercraft inspection program began on May 16, 2025, over 3,200 boats have been inspected.

 

Sealed Vessel Launching 

All trailered and personal watercraft with an intact blue seal will be permitted to launch at the following boat ramp facilities during the hours listed. Boat ramps at the Oroville facilities will no longer be open 24/7. Launching trailered boats or personal watercraft is not allowed at any other location.

 

Starting Monday, June 16, there will be changes to launching hours at three of Lake Oroville’s boat ramps:

• Lime Saddle will change from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
• Loafer Creek will change from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
• Bidwell Canyon will change from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

Lake Oroville - Launch Hours through Sunday, June 15

Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

• Spillway  
• Lime Saddle - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Loafer Creek - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Extended Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

• Bidwell Canyon - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Thermalito Afterbay 

Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset

• Monument Hill

Thermalito Forebay

Ramp Hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• North Forebay (Non-motorized vessels only)

More details about DWR’s mussel inspection program are available at water.ca.gov/mussels.

 

Project Upgrading Power and Fiber Communication Lines

DWR is has begun construction on a project to replace power and fiber optic communication lines that support the Hyatt Powerplant and Thermalito Diversion Dam Facilities. Construction crews have started clearing and grubbing trees and vegetation near the Lakeland Boulevard Trailhead access point. Vegetation work is anticipated to last approximately three weeks through the end of June. DWR is also advising motorists along Oro Dam Blvd. E. to slow down and be alert for construction vehicles and equipment entering and exiting work areas.

 

During construction, portions of the Dan Beebe and Brad Freeman Trails near the Diversion Pool will remain closed for the safety of the public. Trails in this area are expected to remain closed for approximately one year during power and fiber optic line upgrades.

 

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission

The California Natural Resources Agency hosted its 20th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on June 13. In addition to public comment, the Commission received presentations on advancements in research on atmospheric river, snowpack, and storm runoff forecasting (recently documented in the Yuba-Feather Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operation (FIRO) Final Viability Assessment) and how this may inform the future update of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Oroville Water Control Manual; an explanation of how the California Nevada River Forecast Center forecasts inflow to California reservoirs; and an update on the Commission’s 2025 Legislative Report.

 

The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information on the meeting, please visit the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission website. A transcript of the virtual meeting will be available on the webpage in the coming weeks.

 

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.

 

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, with excellent bass fishing opportunities during the fall and winter months. Be sure to check California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) fishing regulations before 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.

 

DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), and 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. 

 

Between Jan. 30 and April 20, higher flows in the Feather River required the temporary removal of sensitive fish monitoring equipment or may have impacted counting operations. Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between Jan. 1 and June 10, 2025 are:  

• Spring-run Chinook salmon: 16,926
• Steelhead: 167
• To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 898 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.39 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 99 percent of its total capacity and 123 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 850 cfs through the City of Oroville with 3,650 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 4,500 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 11:59 p.m. on 6/12/2025.

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