HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.22.22 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - July 22, 2022
From:Paulsen, Shaina
To:BOS
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 22, 2022
Date:Friday, July 22, 2022 4:09:16 PM
Please see Board Correspondence below.
Shaina Paulsen
Associate Clerk of The Board
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.3304 | F: 530.538.7120
From: Department of Water Resources <DWRMedia@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2022 4:02 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 22, 2022
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Lake Oroville Community Update
July 22, 2022
Water Safety
The hot weather is pushing more people to visit and explore our local waterways, lakes,
and reservoirs, including the Feather River and Lake Oroville. Boaters are reminded to
place safety as their top priority by making sure they and their passengers are wearing life
jackets. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that 80 percent of all drowning victims were not
wearing a life jacket. Abiding by posted speed limits and signage, particularly regarding
locations where swimming is prohibited such as in marinas or near boat docks or launch
ramps, as well as paying attention to warning buoys, especially in reservoirs or other
waterbodies with fluctuating water elevations, can greatly increase the safety of those with
and around you.
Lake Oroville has a lake-wide 5-mph speed limit at nighttime and personal watercraft or jet
skis are prohibited from nighttime operation, even if they have navigation lights. Hours of
operation at Thermalito Afterbay are 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Boaters there are reminded of that waterbody’s 5-mph limit north of the Highway 162
bridge and, for all waterbodies, within 200 yards of shore.
Water enthusiasts are also reminded that, even on a hot day, the water temperature can
be cold and trigger cold water immersion shock. Cold water reduces body heat 25 to 30
times faster than air does at the same temperature and can quickly turn a good time into a
life-threatening situation. Knowing the symptoms of hypothermia (when your body loses
heat faster than it be produced) such as uncontrollable shivering, blue lips, clumsiness or
lack of coordination, or bright red, cold skin, particularly among children who may be
unaware of, or desire to ignore, their symptoms, can prevent a tragedy from occurring. If
you suspect you or someone else is having these symptoms, act quickly to get out of the
water, seek help, and begin gradual warming of the body.
Taking sensible and even extra precautions when recreating around or in the water will
help keep you and your family safe this summer. For more information on boating
requirements and safety, visit the California Division of Boating and Waterways and cold-
water safety tips at the National Weather Service’s Safety webpage.
Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Meeting
The California Natural Resources Agency is hosting its 11th Oroville Dam Citizens
Advisory Commission meeting on July 29, 10 a.m. to Noon. The public meeting will be
held at the Southside Community Center in Oroville, located at 2959 Lower Wyandotte
Road, Oroville, CA 95966, and will include presentations and public comment.
The Commission will receive a brief update on the development of the Commission report,
a recap of a flood safety stakeholder technical workshop held in April, and a presentation
from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on dam facilities management
and annual maintenance planning.
Time for public input is also scheduled. The Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities surrounding Oroville Dam.
For information on the meeting, please visit https://bit.ly/OrovilleCAC.
Oroville Recreation
Four paved boat ramps at Lime Saddle, Bidwell Canyon, Spillway, and Loafer Point are
open at Lake Oroville, along with the Lime Saddle and Bidwell Canyon marinas, and
reservations for campgrounds in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) can be
made by visiting the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CA Parks) LOSRA
website.
Restrooms, potable water, and fish cleaning stations are not in service at the Spillway
Boat Ramp area, but portable toilets are provided – please plan visits accordingly. A water
and sewer pipeline replacement project is underway to restore these utilities. Please be
aware of construction traffic in the vicinity of the Spillway Day Use Area.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay provide a wide range of recreation opportunities
including fishing, hiking, biking and boating. Non-motorized boating is permitted in the
North Forebay, and motorized boating is only permitted in the South Forebay and
Afterbay. Boaters are reminded to abide by speed limits near boat launch areas and north
of the Highway 162 bridge where Afterbay speed limits are five (5) miles per hour. Visitors
are reminded to abide by all posted signage regarding permitted swimming areas (never
near boating docks) to ensure public safety for all. Swimming near boat docks is
dangerous – risks include propeller strikes and boat collisions, carbon monoxide poisoning
from boat exhaust, electrical shock from shorted wiring in boats or docks, and an
increased chance of polluted waters where boats are launched and retrieved.
The North Forebay Aquatic Center has kayaks, paddle boards, and other watercraft
available for rent Thursday through Sunday. Non-motorized boating is also permitted in
the Thermalito Diversion Pool with kayak access just before the restroom on Cherokee
Road. Lake Oroville and the Oroville Wildlife Area also have car-top boat launch areas.
Visit the interactive map of recreation facilities in DWR’s Oroville-Thermalito Complex on
DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage. And step inside the Lake Oroville Visitor
Center, open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to learn about the State
Water Project and history of the area.
Blue Green Algae Monitoring
DWR environmental scientists regularly monitor for blue-green algae and their toxins
during the summer months. There are currently no harmful algal bloom (HAB) advisories
for Lake Oroville, the Thermalito Forebay, or the Thermalito Afterbay.
Water samples are taken at various locations regularly from Memorial Day through Labor
Day. To learn more about HABs, or to report a HAB visit the Water Board’s website.
Current Lake Operations
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 733 feet elevation and storage is about 1.53
million acre-feet (MAF), which is 43 percent of its total capacity and 62 percent of
historical average. Very warm temperatures are anticipated over the weekend and into
next week. Expect to see temperatures over 100 degrees throughout the week.
The Feather River releases, currently at 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), are scheduled
to decrease to 3,750 cfs on Friday, July 22, to meet downstream Delta water quality and
outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville will be reduced to 1,300 cfs with 2,450
cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) for a total of 3,750 cfs
downstream of the Outlet. Flows through the low flow channel may fluctuate through the
week for fisheries purposes.
The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data
Exchange Center at www.cdec.water.ca.gov. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified
as “ORO”.
All data as of midnight 7/21/2022
California is entering its third year of drought conditions. With water
conservation now a way of life in California, everyone is encouraged
to find ways to save water. See tips, tools, and ideas on the Save Our
Water website. Information about real time local hydrological
conditions, forecasts, and water conditions is available on DWR’s new
website California Water Watch.
California Department of Water Resources
715 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Call our general information line at 916-820-8142
or email us at oroville@water.ca.gov
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