HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.14.25 Board Correspondence_ FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - July 11, 2025.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
attachments, clicking on links, or replying..
From:Clerk of the Board
To:BOS
Cc:Loeser, Kamie; Nuzum, Danielle
Subject:Board Correspondence: FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 11, 2025
Date:Monday, July 14, 2025 8:30:49 AM
Please see board Correspondence
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2025 3:29 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - July 11, 2025
View as a webpage / Share
Lake Oroville Community Update
July 11, 2025
Craig Saddle Boat-in Campground Reopens
The California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) has reopened the Craig
Saddle Boat-in Campground at the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA). Nearly
five years ago, the deadly North Complex Fire burned more than 318,000 acres in Plumas
and Butte Counties. Multiple communities sustained catastrophic damage, and the
landscape across much of the east side of Lake Oroville, including the Craig Recreation
Area of LOSRA, experienced high-severity wildfire. In 2022, State Parks developed the
Craig Saddle Fuel Reduction and Restoration Project, and work began in Spring of 2023.
The project rehabilitated the landscape adjacent to Craig Access Road within the LOSRA
boundaries and restored the boat-in campground area through removal of dead, burned
trees and vegetation. Approximately 7.7 acres of the boat-in campground will continue to
be treated for long-term restoration to re-establish native trees, shrubs, and grasses to
enhance habitat and improve watershed function.
Though the landscape looks different, this campground still offers serene views and
beautiful wildlife, cool breezes, and amazing swimming. Please be aware that restoration
efforts are still ongoing and State Parks asks that everyone respects the healing of the
natural space that the campground occupies.
Lake Oroville SRA offers several options for adventurous campers seeking a more rustic
experience at boat-in only campgrounds. In addition to the 18 sites at Craig Saddle,
visitors may instead choose to enjoy Foreman Creek, Bloomer Point, or Bloomer Knoll
boat-in campgrounds which accommodate up to eight guests per campsite, and Bloomer
Group Campground which accommodates larger parties of up to 75 people. Boat-in
campgrounds are ONLY accessible by boat and are open year-round.
Guests can register for boat-in camping at the Loafer Creek, Bidwell Canyon, Spillway,
and Lime Saddle entrance stations. These sites are available on a first come, first served
basis and are not on the online camping reservations system. Each campsite has a picnic
table and a fire ring, with vault style toilets nearby. Please be advised that during low
water levels, campsites may be a significant distance from the shoreline. Visit
www.parks.ca.gov/lakeoroville for more information and local updates.
Tagging Operations Complete for Season at Hatchery
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife (CDFW) have completed adult spring-run Chinook salmon brood stock Hallprint
tagging operations at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville. Approximately 7,919
spring-run were tagged this season, which helps staff track the success of Hatchery
operations and improve fish population management.
In addition to tagging operations, DWR and CDFW continued thiamine treatments to
combat ongoing B1 vitamin deficiencies in Chinook salmon. This treatment improves the
health of the fish, increasing the survival of Chinook salmon from egg to juvenile. DWR
and CDFW continue to meet and exceed Hatchery production goals for Chinook salmon,
even with recent drought impacts. This spring, DWR’s Feather River Fish Monitoring
Station counted more than 17,000 spring-run Chinook salmon returning to spawn this
year, the best return since 2013.
At the conclusion of adult spring-run tagging operations and with the routine closure of the
Hatchery fish ladder, DWR and CDFW have begun annual summer maintenance activities
at the Hatchery. This includes cleaning the fish ladder and raceways and performing
regular maintenance on equipment to ensure its continued operation. The fish ladder will
reopen in September with the start of spawning activities for both spring-run and fall-run
Chinook salmon.
Golden Mussel Inspection Program
DWR is reminding watercraft owners to bring their vessel’s keys with them for the invasive
mussel inspection at the North Thermalito Forebay. Vessels must also have a working
battery and be operational to complete and pass required inspections.
More details about DWR’s mussel inspection program are available at
water.ca.gov/mussels.
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.
Sealed Vessel Launching
Lake Oroville
Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Spillway
Bidwell Canyon
Extended Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Lime Saddle
Loafer Creek
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)
Oroville Recreation
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. Below the Oroville Dam, the Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay, and the
Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities for Chinook salmon and
steelhead. 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, 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, high flows in the Feather River required the temporary
removal of fish monitoring equipment resulting in lower spring-run estimates. Upstream
migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between Jan. 1 and
July 6, 2025 are:
Spring-run Chinook salmon (April 16 through June 30): 17,664
Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 123
Steelhead: 185
To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 876 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.06 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 89 percent of its total capacity and 119 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 1,200 cfs through the City of Oroville with 6,800 cfs being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River
release of 8,000 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 11:59 p.m. on 7/10/2025.
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
Contact Us
Stay Connected with the California Department of Water Resources
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Subscriptions | Help
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