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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; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney,
Kathleen; Teeter, Doug
Cc:Loeser, Kamie; Nuzum, Danielle
Subject:Board Correspondence: FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - August 15, 2025
Date:Friday, August 15, 2025 4:39:40 PM
Please see Board Correspondence
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2025 2:48 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - August 15, 2025
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Lake Oroville Community Update
August 15, 2025
Golden Mussel Inspection Program – Ramp Hour Changes
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is alerting water recreators to upcoming
changes to boat ramp hours that will be in effect as of Monday, Sept. 1. Hours for
inspection/decontamination services at the North Thermalito Forebay will remain the
same. Additional changes to boat ramp hours are anticipated with the shortening days.
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.
Starting Sept. 1: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Spillway
Bidwell Canyon
Extended Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Starting Sept. 1: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Lime Saddle
Loafer Creek
Thermalito Afterbay
Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset
Starting Sept. 1: Daily from 1.5 hours before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset
Monument Hill
Thermalito Forebay
Ramp Hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Start Sept. 1: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to sunset
North Forebay (Non-motorized vessels only)
Paving Work to Temporarily Close Trail
DWR is starting a $1.9 million paving and sealing project to rehabilitate seven locations
owned and maintained by the department that are heavily used by maintenance staff and
public members. Project work is expected to begin Monday, Aug. 18 and continue through
November 2025. Vintage Paving Company, Inc. of Winters, Calif. is the contractor for the
project.
Paving will begin Monday, Aug. 18 along the Thermalito Afterbay Dam Crest Road, which
is also part of the Brad Freeman Trail system. The Afterbay Dam Crest Road/Brad
Freeman Trail south of State Route 162 to the East Hamilton Road Trail Access will be
closed around the clock for paving work through Wednesday, August 20. A portion of the
Dam Crest Road/Brad Freeman Trail north of State Route 162 will be closed Wednesday,
Aug. 20. 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.
Additional locations for future paving, sealing, and guardrail work include:
Feather River Fish Hatchery
Thermalito Powerplant Access Roads
Thermalito Diversion Dam Powerplant
Thermalito Power Canal Access Road
Oroville Field Division Operations and Maintenance Center at Glen Drive
Canyon Drive from the intersection of Oroville Dam Blvd. E./Royal Oaks Drive
heading north to the dam and upper overlook
Oroville Dam Boulevard East near Oro Powerhouse Road
DWR will provide more details about scheduled work and potential public access impacts
in future newsletters. Work schedules are subject to change based on weather and the
availability of equipment and materials.
Tree Blocking Feather River at Cottonwood Riffle
DWR is alerting Feather River anglers and water recreators of a downed tree spanning
the main river channel at Cottonwood Riffle near the Feather River Fish Hatchery. Feather
River users launching near the green Table Mountain Bridge should use caution. Warning
signs will be posted in the water to alert river users of the hazard ahead. Water users can
still navigate downstream along the east side of the river closest to downtown Oroville.
DWR does not own the Feather River channel but has notified local authorities about this
hazard.
Feather River Flow Changes Planned
DWR decreased Feather River flows today and will increase flows on Saturday in support
of planned and required maintenance work at the O’Neill Forebay. Feather River releases
are at 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville. Flows from the
Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) were reduced to 3,000 cfs for a total Feather
River release of 4,000 cfs downstream. Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, DWR will
increase Outlet flows in 500-cfs increments, with total Feather River releases increasing to
7,000 cfs by 2 p.m. River flows through the City of Oroville will remain at 1,000 cfs. DWR
continues to assess Feather River releases daily.
August is a popular time for water recreation and fishing on the Feather River. DWR is
advising Feather River users to remain alert for changing water conditions associated with
scheduled flow changes today and Saturday.
Fish Monitoring Station
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
August 11, 2025 are:
Spring-run Chinook salmon (April 16 through June 30): 17,732
Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 538
Steelhead: 195
To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 838 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.55 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 75 percent of its total capacity and 115 percent of the historical average.
DWR decreased Feather River flows today and will increase flows on Saturday in support
of planned and required maintenance work at the O’Neill Forebay. Feather River releases
are at 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville. Flows from the
Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) were reduced to 3,000 cfs for a total Feather
River release of 4,000 cfs downstream. Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, DWR will
increase Outlet flows in 500-cfs increments, with total Feather River releases increasing to
7,000 cfs by 2 p.m. River flows through the City of Oroville will remain at 1,000 cfs. 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 8/14/2025.
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
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