HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1.22 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - July 29, 2022
From:Paulsen, Shaina
To:BOS
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 29, 2022
Date:Monday, August 1, 2022 8:18:57 AM
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 29, 2022 4:42 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 29, 2022
ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
..
attachments, clicking on links, or replying.
View as a webpage / Share
Lake Oroville Community Update
July 29, 2022
Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Meeting
The California Natural Resources Agency held its 11th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory
Commission meeting on July 29, 2022. The public meeting at Oroville’s Southside
Community Center included 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.
Members of the public offered comments and asked questions. The Oroville Dam Citizens
Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the communities
surrounding Oroville Dam. The meeting transcript and presentations will be available on
the Commission’s website in the coming weeks at https://bit.ly/OrovilleCAC.
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 within 200 yards of shore for all waterbodies in California.
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 Recreation
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, many open to horseback riding, with
spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the
smallest mountain range in the world. Trails, permitted uses, day use areas, boat ramps
and other recreation facilities are featured on DWR’s interactive map 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.
At Lake Oroville, the Lime Saddle, Bidwell Canyon, Spillway, and Loafer Point boat ramps
are open, 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.
The Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay also 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. The North Forebay Aquatic Center has kayaks, paddle boards, and
other watercraft available for rent. 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.
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 727 feet elevation and storage is about 1.47
million acre-feet (MAF), which is 42 percent of its total capacity and 62 percent of
historical average. Temperatures are forecasted to continue in the low 100s through the
weekend and into next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 3,750 cubic feet per second (cfs) to meet
downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of Oroville are
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 7/28/2022
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
Contact Us
Stay Connected with the California Department of Water Resources
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help
This email was sent to clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net from the California Natural Resources Agency
utilizing govDelivery. California Natural Resources Agency, 715 P Street, California, CA 95814