HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.10.2024 Board Correspondence - FW Lake Oroville Community Update - May 10, 2024.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; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan;
Kimmelshue, Tod; Kitts, Melissa; Lee, Lewis; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney, Kathleen;
Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth; Loeser, Kamie
Cc:Nevers, Dawn
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - May 10, 2024
Date:Monday, May 13, 2024 9:26:28 AM
Please see Board correspondence –
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2024 2:36 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - May 10, 2024
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Lake Oroville Community Update
May 10, 2024
Lake Oroville Reaches Full Capacity Two Years in a Row
While the new water year began with warm and dry conditions, the Feather River
watershed received enough precipitation and snowpack runoff in the first months of 2024
to fill Lake Oroville to capacity for the second year in a row. The Department of Water
Resources (DWR) continues to adjust Lake Oroville water releases as needed to account
for increasing or decreasing inflows into the reservoir and maintain flood protection for
downstream communities. Releases are closely coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and other water operators and adjusted as needed to maintain balance
throughout the water system.
With Lake Oroville at full capacity, windy periods are likely to cause water to splash onto
and over the crest of the emergency spillway. This will result in minor surface wetting of
the downstream side of the emergency spillway crest and the very upper sections of the
splash pad. Visitors to Oroville Dam may also notice minor amounts of water flowing from
drains built into the emergency spillway. Both conditions are normal and expected given
the emergency spillway design. The dam and emergency spillway continue to operate as
intended.
The information below reflects current reservoir level estimates. Forecasts can change
quickly and may affect the estimates provided.
Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 899 feet elevation
Current Storage Capacity: 100 percent
Total Releases to the Feather River: 9,500 cubic feet per second (cfs); will reduce
to 8,500 cfs Monday, May 13
Total releases to the Feather River amount to 9,500 cfs with 650 cfs being routed down
the Low Flow Channel through the City of Oroville. An additional 8,850 cfs is being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, located 5 miles downstream from
Oroville. Feather River releases will be incrementally reduced to 8,500 cfs by Monday,
May 13. DWR continues to assess Feather River releases daily.
As the largest storage facility in the State Water Project, Lake Oroville helps provide water
to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland, while providing flood protection
to downstream communities along with environmental and recreation benefits.
Spring is an important time for water project operators to fill reservoirs like Lake Oroville
ahead of dry months. It also is an important migration window for many native fish
species. DWR is using the best available science to protect fish species. However, SWP
operations have faced significant restrictions in the Delta this year that have impacted the
ability to capture and store the water needed if California sees a return to drought
conditions.
DWR continues to monitor Lake Oroville levels and mountain snow levels to optimize
water storage while meeting environmental requirements and allowing for carryover
storage into next year.
Feather Falls
A popular excursion at Lake Oroville during high-water level periods is to take a boat trip
to the upper end of the Middle Fork Arm to view Feather Falls, a Yosemite-style waterfall
of exquisite beauty. Along the way, there are many smaller waterfalls to see including
some that tumble directly into Lake Oroville such as Bean Creek and Frey Creek. Bring a
picnic lunch, a camera, and don’t forget your fishing pole. There are unlimited bass fishing
opportunities along the route and trout fishing can also be good in areas where cold
mountain streams enter the lake.
Gold Flat Loop Campground Reopens
The California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) has reopened the
Bidwell Canyon Gold Flat Loop Campground at the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
following extensive ADA site upgrades. In addition to repaving campground access roads,
three of the 37 tent/RV camping sites received accessibility upgrades with parking stalls
and a clear path of travel to accessible restroom and shower facilities. Upgrades to the
campground also included new water and sewer facilities to complement new power
hookups that were completed in recent years.
The Gold Flat Loop Campground is conveniently located near the popular Bidwell Canyon
Marina and provides nearby access to the Bidwell Canyon Trail (hiking/biking) and the
Dan Beebe Trail (hiking/equestrian). With Lake Oroville at full capacity, now is the perfect
time to reserve a campsite and enjoy the numerous recreation opportunities available at
Lake Oroville. Book your Lake Oroville stay at reservecalifornia.com.
Oroville Recreation
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
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.
DWR, State Parks, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (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.
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 and is a popular destination for bass tournaments. Below the Oroville Dam, the
Thermalito Afterbay and the Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities.
The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of
services including a convenience store, gas, and boat rentals.
Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between
Jan. 1 and May 5 are:
Spring-run Chinook salmon: 1,321
Fall-run Chinook salmon: 42
Steelhead: 817
Due to higher flows in the low-flow channel of the Feather River between Feb. 26
and March 18, some fish swam over the monitoring station and were not counted in
upstream migration totals.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 899 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.52 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 100 percent of its total capacity and 128 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 650 cfs through the City of Oroville with 8,850 cfs being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River
release of 9,500 cfs downstream. Feather River releases will be incrementally reduced to
8,500 cfs by Monday, May 13. DWR continues to assess Feather River releases daily.
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
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 5/9/2024.
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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