HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.02.26 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - January 2, 2026.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: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 2, 2026
Date:Friday, January 2, 2026 4:58:21 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, January 2, 2026 2:35 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - January 2, 2026
View as a webpage / Share
Lake Oroville Community Update
January 2, 2026
Ahead of forecasted storms continuing through the weekend, the Department of Water
Resources (DWR) has increased water releases to the Feather River from the Oroville-
Thermalito Complex to maintain flood protection for downstream communities. With runoff
into Lake Oroville projected to range between 50,000 to 70,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)
by early next week, DWR also expects to start using Oroville dam’s main spillway on
January 5 for additional flood control releases.
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
from damaging flood events through coordinated releases. To maintain this storage
space, DWR must increase releases from Lake Oroville.
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 12 and December 31, Lake Oroville’s
elevation rose approximately 58 feet.
Releases to the Feather River are coordinated closely with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and other downstream water operators. Feather River recreation 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: 826 feet elevation
Current Storage: 70 percent of capacity
Total Releases to the Feather River: 15,000 cfs; potentially increasing to 25,000
cfs on Monday
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 826 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.41 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 70 percent of its total capacity and 126 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 3,000 cubic feet per second (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. 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 midnight 1/1/2026.
###
Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their
request to oroville@water.ca.gov.
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
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