HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.13.25 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - June 13, 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; Krater, Sharleen; Lee, Lewis; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.;
Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth; Loeser, Kamie
Cc:Nuzum, Danielle
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - June 13, 2025
Date:Monday, June 16, 2025 8:31:48 AM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2025 3:34 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - June 13, 2025
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Lake Oroville Community Update
June 13, 2025
Golden Mussel Inspection Program
DWR’s mussel inspection program in Oroville is underway to protect State Water Project
(SWP) infrastructure. Mandatory watercraft inspections are required prior to launching at
the Oroville Facilities (Lake Oroville, Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay). Watercraft
that pass the inspection will receive a seal and can launch during designated ramp hours.
Watercraft Inspection Location/Decontamination Services
North Thermalito Forebay at Garden Drive and HWY 70 in Oroville
Hours of operation: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Watercraft inspections and decontamination services at DWR’s Oroville facilities are free.
To pass an inspection, watercraft and trailers must not have any attached mussels and be
clean and 100 percent dry. Watercraft with ballast bags/tanks, bilge, and motors must
have a working battery and be operational to complete required inspections. Be sure to
bring your vessel’s keys! Since the watercraft inspection program began on May 16, 2025,
over 3,200 boats have been inspected.
Sealed Vessel Launching
All trailered and personal watercraft with an intact blue seal will be permitted to launch at
the following boat ramp facilities during the hours listed. Boat ramps at the Oroville
facilities will no longer be open 24/7. Launching trailered boats or personal watercraft is
not allowed at any other location.
Starting Monday, June 16, there will be changes to launching hours at three of Lake
Oroville’s boat ramps:
Lime Saddle will change from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Loafer Creek will change from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Bidwell Canyon will change from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Lake Oroville
Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Spillway
Lime Saddle - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Loafer Creek - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Extended Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bidwell Canyon - Starting Monday, June 16, ramp hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 10
p.m.
Thermalito Afterbay
Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset
Monument Hill
Thermalito Forebay
Ramp Hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
North Forebay (Non-motorized vessels only)
More details about DWR’s mussel inspection program are available at
water.ca.gov/mussels.
Project Upgrading Power and Fiber Communication Lines
DWR is has begun construction on a project to replace power and fiber optic
communication lines that support the Hyatt Powerplant and Thermalito Diversion Dam
Facilities. Construction crews have started clearing and grubbing trees and vegetation
near the Lakeland Boulevard Trailhead access point. Vegetation work is anticipated to last
approximately three weeks through the end of June. DWR is also advising motorists along
Oro Dam Blvd. E. to slow down and be alert for construction vehicles and equipment
entering and exiting work areas.
During construction, portions of the Dan Beebe and Brad Freeman Trails near the
Diversion Pool will remain closed for the safety of the public. Trails in this area are
expected to remain closed for approximately one year during power and fiber optic line
upgrades.
Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission
The California Natural Resources Agency hosted its 20th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory
Commission meeting on June 13. In addition to public comment, the Commission received
presentations on advancements in research on atmospheric river, snowpack, and storm
runoff forecasting (recently documented in the Yuba-Feather Forecast-Informed Reservoir
Operation (FIRO) Final Viability Assessment) and how this may inform the future update
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Oroville Water Control Manual; an explanation of
how the California Nevada River Forecast Center forecasts inflow to California reservoirs;
and an update on the Commission’s 2025 Legislative Report.
The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from the
communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information on the meeting, please visit the
Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission website. A transcript of the virtual meeting
will be available on the webpage in the coming weeks.
Oroville Recreation
Staffed by knowledgeable guides, the Lake Oroville 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.
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, with excellent bass fishing opportunities during the fall and winter months. Be
sure to check California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) fishing regulations
before fishing. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and
provide a variety of services including a convenience store, gas, boat rentals, and more.
DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), and 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.
Between Jan. 30 and April 20, higher flows in the Feather River required the temporary
removal of sensitive fish monitoring equipment or may have impacted counting operations.
Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between
Jan. 1 and June 10, 2025 are:
Spring-run Chinook salmon: 16,926
Steelhead: 167
To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 898 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.39 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 99 percent of its total capacity and 123 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 850 cfs through the City of Oroville with 3,650 cfs being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River
release of 4,500 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 11:59 p.m. on 6/12/2025.
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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