HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.12.22 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - September 9, 2022.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
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From:Clerk of the Board
To:Bennett, Robin; Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Hironimus, Patrizia; Kimmelshue,
Tod; Lucero, Debra; Paulsen, Shaina; Pickett, Andy; Reaster, Kayla; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney,
Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Valencia, Shyanne
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - September 9, 2022
Date:Monday, September 12, 2022 8:00:50 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, September 9, 2022 5:14 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - September 9, 2022
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Lake Oroville Community Update
September 9, 2022
Hatchery Fish Ladder Opens
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to
lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery will begin
their spawning activities when the fish ladder opens Thursday, Sept. 15.
Visitors to the Hatchery’s Fish Barrier Dam Overlook Viewing Area can view salmon
congregating and jumping in the Feather River and see them up close through the
Underwater Viewing Window as they swim up the fish ladder. The Overlook is located off
Table Mountain Boulevard north of the Hatchery. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the
Hatchery, open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For the 28th Annual Salmon Festival on Sept. 24, hatchery hours are changed to 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. Festival activities in downtown Oroville will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will
include a pancake breakfast, car show, arts & crafts, kids zone, food trucks, BBQ salmon,
and more. Information about the festival is available on the Oroville Area Chamber of
Commerce website.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery’s spawning operations enables millions of Chinook
salmon to be released every spring. This year, the hatchery released 11.3 million young
Chinook salmon smolts to the waters of the Feather River, San Pablo Bay, and San
Francisco Bay to support Northern California and Pacific Ocean fisheries. The Feather
River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project facility owned and maintained by
the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which funds hatchery operations.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) operates the hatchery, including
fish spawning, rearing, and stocking activities.
Boat Ramp Status
The Lime Saddle boat ramp is closed with lake elevations falling below safe launching
levels and the Spillway boat ramp is anticipated to close the week of Sept. 12. The Bidwell
Canyon and Loafer Point boat ramps are open and will remain open through the rest of
the year. Boaters are reminded the Lime Saddle Marina will remain open and shuttle
service to moored boats is available from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. The Bidwell Canyon Marina
will also be open from 8:30 am. to 8 p.m. with shuttle service available during that time.
The Monument Hill, Wilbur Road, and Larkin Road boat ramps on the Thermalito Afterbay
are open and power and sail boating is permitted from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one
hour after sunset. Please pay extra attention when boating in the Afterbay, as hundreds of
baby Western and Clark’s Grebes have hatched in the Afterbay over the last two weeks
as noted below. These new hatchlings do not yet have good mobility and are very
vulnerable to boats at full speed, so please use caution. The Thermalito South Forebay is
open to power and sail boating from 8 a.m. to sunset. The North Forebay off Highway 70
is open to non-motorized boating and is open 8 a.m. to sunset.
Boaters are reminded that abiding by all boating safety requirements, including wearing
life jackets and following speed restrictions, will ensure an enjoyable and safe recreation
experience for all.
Oroville Recreation
The Lake Oroville area has over 92 miles of trails, all open to hiking, with some also
allowing for horseback riding, some also allowing biking, and some designated for “multi-
use” where all three activities may occur on the same trail. The trails provide users with
spectacular views of Lake Oroville and the valley, home to the Sutter Buttes – named the
smallest mountain range in the world.
Trails and their 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.
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.
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 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 car-top boat launching access just before the restroom on Cherokee
Road. Lake Oroville and the Oroville Wildlife Area also have car-top boat launch areas.
Campgrounds Close in Plumas National Forest
As the summer recreation season draws to a close, the Plumas National Forest is
beginning the slow process of winterizing and closing recreation sites. Area residents and
visitors are encouraged to check that recreation sites are still open. Find more information
on the Plumas National Forest webpage by scrolling down to the “Seasonal Recreation
Changes” news release.
Blue Green Algae Monitoring
While monitoring by DWR environmental scientists for blue-green algae and their toxins at
Lake Oroville, the Thermalito North Forebay, and the Thermalito Afterbay only goes
through Labor Day, DWR staff will respond to test any observed algal blooms. There are
currently no harmful algal bloom (HAB) advisories for any of those waterbodies.
If elevated levels of cyanobacteria toxins are found, DWR staff work with California’s
Regional Water Quality Control Board and recreation area managers to notify the public
and post advisory signs at affected waterbodies. To learn more about HABs, or to report a
HAB, visit the Water Board’s website.
Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is a natural component of ecosystems. Under certain
conditions, including warmer temperatures and increased nutrient loads, algae can grow
rapidly causing “blooms.” Algal blooms sometimes produce toxins that can be harmful to
people and animals.
Current Lake Operations
The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 704 feet elevation and storage is about 1.28
million acre-feet (MAF), which is 36 percent of its total capacity and 64 percent of
historical average. Expect a reprieve from the extreme warm temperatures this weekend
through next week, with temperatures in the low-90s over the weekend and further
dropping to the high-to-mid-80s next week.
The Feather River releases are currently at 3,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) and continue
to meet downstream Delta water quality and outflow needs. Flows through the City of
Oroville are 800 cfs with 2,700 cfs released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet)
for a total of 3,500 cfs downstream of the Outlet. On Sunday, Sept. 11, flow from the
Outlet will be reduced from 2,700 cfs to 2,200 cfs for a total downstream flow of 3,000 cfs.
This email was sent to clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net from the California Natural Resources Agencyutilizing govDelivery. California Natural Resources Agency, 715 P Street, California, CA 95814
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 9/8/2022
California is in 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
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