HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.18.25 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - April 18, 2025.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
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From:Clerk of the Board
To:Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod;
Kitts, Melissa; Lee, Lewis; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney, Kathleen;
Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth
Cc:Nuzum, Danielle; Loeser, Kamie
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - April 18, 2025
Date:Monday, April 21, 2025 3:33:46 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2025 4:13 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - April 18, 2025
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Lake Oroville Community Update
April 18, 2025
Stopping the Spread of Golden Mussels
With the introduction of highly invasive golden mussels into California waterways in
October 2024, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has been developing plans to
protect State Water Project (SWP) infrastructure while maintaining facilities like Lake
Oroville as prime recreation destinations. As temperatures warm, golden mussels are
expected to begin spawning, making them a significant threat to the ecological health of all
waters of the state, its water storage and conveyance systems, infrastructure, and water
quality. Golden mussels have not been detected at Lake Oroville and DWR will be
implementing measures to prevent their introduction. Watercraft inspections at Lake
Oroville and the surrounding SWP facilities are expected to begin within the next month.
More details will be released soon about the inspection and decontamination program.
Golden mussels range from ¾ inches to 2 inches in size and have a light to dark
yellowish-brown to brown-colored shell. When golden mussel populations are established,
they are difficult to control since they can become very abundant and are easily spread to
new waterbodies. Mussel larvae are microscopic and free floating in infested waters and
can be transported in a boat’s live well, ballast tank, or in the bilge if these areas are not
completely drained. If left unchecked, golden mussels can alter aquatic ecosystems by
filter-feeding on planktonic algae and changing the habitat structure which can damage
fisheries, impact water delivery systems by clogging small-diameter pipelines, screens,
and filters, and impact recreation by fouling boat hulls and motors and clogging intakes
and cooling lines.
To prevent the spread of invasive mussels, DWR routinely monitors for these species and
acts to prevent their spread to non-infested waters. When recreating on California’s
waterways, always remember to:
Clean off aquatic plants and animal material from your boat, trailer, and
equipment before leaving the ramp or parking lot.
Drain ballast, bilge, live-wells, and other water-containing devices, and never
drain back into the waterway.
Dry equipment before launching into another body of water.
Flood Control Releases from Lake Oroville Ongoing
As snowmelt season begins, DWR continues to perform flood protection releases from
Lake Oroville using the main spillway and Hyatt Powerplant. Releases from Lake Oroville
during the spring months help maintain storage capacity in the reservoir to capture runoff
from mountain snowmelt, while optimizing storage for the benefit of water supply,
recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement. DWR continues to conserve as much water
supply as possible in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Between October and June, DWR is required to operate Lake Oroville for flood control
under federal Water Control Manual guidelines set by USACE. DWR is also operating
under its own Interim Operations Plan (IOP), approved by USACE and the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission. These federal regulations and the IOP establish an expanded
storage space that is reserved to capture inflows from rain and future snowmelt, while
protecting downstream communities from damaging flood events through water releases.
Releases to the Feather River are coordinated closely with USACE and other downstream
water operators.
Current reservoir levels are as follows, though estimates may change quickly:
Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 880 feet elevation
Current Storage Capacity: 91 percent
Total Releases to the Feather River: 6,000 cubic feet per second
Lake Oroville is the largest storage facility in the State Water Project, providing flood
protection while supporting environmental and water delivery needs to 27 million
Californians. Some water released from Lake Oroville is distributed locally for agriculture
benefits, while the remaining Feather River releases flow south through the State Water
Project system to reduce salinity effects in the Delta, provide irrigation for crops in the
Central Valley, and eventually make their way to Southern California. DWR continues to
monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize water
storage while allowing for carryover storage into next year.
CAL FIRE Recognizes DWR for Vegetation Management Efforts
In a recent letter to DWR, CAL FIRE Butte County Unit Chief Garrett Sjolund recognized
the Department for its vegetation and fire risk reduction efforts throughout the Lake
Oroville area, particularly near the Hyatt Powerplant. During the July 2024 Thompson Fire,
strong winds began to push the fire along the Feather River and up the canyon towards
the Kelly Ridge area, which would have had devastating impacts to local residents,
businesses, and public safety.
Ultimately this did not happen, thanks in part to DWR’s previous fuels reduction work
along Oro Dam Blvd. E. which caused the fire to slow significantly. Due to lighter
vegetation and ladder fuels in the area, surface fuels burned at a much lower rate and
reduced spot fire potential.
“It is my opinion that had the DWR not focused effort on fuels reduction along Oro Dam
Blvd. E. near Oro Powerhouse Road, the outcome of this incident may have been much
different,” noted Chief Sjolund in his letter.
DWR's Fuel Load Management Plan 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. Between early 2013 and June 2024, DWR and its local partners
treated or retreated more than 2,500 acres of vegetation.
Vegetation management remains a top priority for DWR and its partners including CAL
FIRE, the Butte County Fire Department, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, the California
Conservation Corps (CCC), the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the
California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), local tribes, and the Butte
County Fire Safe Council.
Visitor Center Art Show
Celebrate Earth Day this month with DWR and the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. The
Visitor Center is currently accepting wildflower-inspired artwork from Butte County
residents of all ages. Submissions can range from photography and painting to digital art,
drawing, or textiles. Submit your work by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. Artwork will be
displayed in the Visitor Center’s front lobby from Saturday, April 26 through Sunday, May
11.
In addition, DWR is hosting an Earth Day event at the Lake Oroville Visitor Center on
Saturday, April 26 from noon to 4 p.m. Join our guides in creating beautiful chalk art and
craft projects showcasing your love for our planet and its precious resources.
Located at 917 Kelly Ridge Rd. in Oroville, the Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Staffed by knowledgeable guides, the 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
This email was sent to clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net from the California Natural Resources Agency
utilizing govDelivery. California Natural Resources Agency, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
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.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 880 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.13 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 91 percent of its total capacity and 119 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 1,000 cfs through the City of Oroville with 5,000 cfs being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River
release of 6,000 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 4/17/2025.
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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