HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.05.26 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - January 5, 2026.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 - January 5, 2026
Date:Monday, January 5, 2026 4:32:10 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Monday, January 5, 2026 4:29 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - January 5, 2026
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Lake Oroville Community Update
January 5, 2026
DWR Begins Required Flood Control Releases from Lake
Oroville
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) began required flood control releases using
Oroville Dam’s main spillway at 6 a.m. today. Total downstream Feather River releases
from the Oroville-Thermalito Complex are currently at 15,000 cubic feet per second (cfs).
While initial forecasts projected inflows into Lake Oroville between 50,000 to 70,000 cfs
over the weekend, actual inflows ranged from 22,000 to 43,000 cfs. With reduced runoff
levels and drier conditions in the forecast, DWR is no longer expecting to increase flood
control releases and will be reducing outflows through the coming week.
Between mid-September and May, DWR is required to operate Lake Oroville for flood
control under federal Water Control Manual Guidelines set by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. These federal regulations establish a set storage space that is reserved to
capture inflows from rain and future snowmelt, while protecting downstream communities
from damaging flood events through coordinated releases. To maintain this storage
space, DWR must conduct flood protection releases from Lake Oroville. Some of the water
released from Oroville for flood control is captured downstream for beneficial uses by local
landowners, communities, and the State Water Project.
While weather conditions were largely dry in early December, Northern California received
a series of atmospheric river-driven storms in the past two weeks that boosted reservoir
storage at Lake Oroville. Between December 20 and January 4, Lake Oroville’s elevation
rose approximately 67 feet.
Releases to the Feather River are coordinated closely with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and other downstream water operators. Feather River recreational users are
advised to remain alert as river flows are expected to be swift and cold and may change
based on projected weather forecasts.
The information below reflects current reservoir level estimates. Forecasts can change
quickly and may affect the estimates provided.
Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 834 feet elevation
Current Storage: 73 percent of capacity
Total Releases to the Feather River: 15,000 cfs; reducing to 10,000 cfs on Tuesday,
Jan. 6
The Lake Oroville reservoir is the largest storage facility in the State Water Project,
providing flood protection while supporting environmental and water delivery needs to 27
million Californians. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and
mountain snow levels to optimize water storage while allowing for carryover storage into
next year.
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 834 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.51 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 73 percent of its total capacity and 134 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 3,000 cfs through the City of Oroville with 12,000 cfs being
released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet for a total Feather River release of
15,000 cfs downstream. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, DWR will decrease flows through the City of
Oroville to 2,500 cfs with Outlet releases reduced to 7,500 cfs for a total Feather River
release of 10,000 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 1/4/2026.
###
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Sacramento, CA 95814
Call our general information line at 916-820-8142
or email us at oroville@water.ca.gov
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