HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.13.26 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - February 13, 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 - February 13, 2026
Date:Friday, February 13, 2026 1:55:52 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2026 1:53 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - February 13, 2026
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Lake Oroville Community Update
February 13, 2026
DWR Maintaining Oroville Releases
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is maintaining water releases from Oroville
Dam to combat salinity intrusion in the Delta. As part of DWR’s water rights permit for the
State Water Project, low-salinity zones must be maintained February through June to
protect critical habitat for native fish. DWR continues to conserve as much water as
possible while continuing to meet federal guidelines for downstream flood protection and
state environmental regulations.
Between mid-September and June, 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 conducts 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. Releases from Oroville Dam also
support Feather River habitat for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and other river species.
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 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: 853 feet elevation
Current Storage: 80 percent of capacity
Total Releases to the Feather River: 8,000 cubic feet per second (cfs); water
releases may be reduced starting Sunday, Feb. 15
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 the following year.
Driftwood Abatement at Lake Oroville
During the typically wetter fall and winter months, DWR’s civil maintenance crews patrol
the branches of Lake Oroville to capture floating woody debris before it reaches the main
body of the lake. Higher inflows wash woody debris into the reservoir, which can impact
water infrastructure and present a hazard to boaters. For the next few months, DWR
crews will be collecting, containing, and pulling larger pieces of wood out of the lake and
away from shoreline areas using boom lines.
DWR crews spent a significant amount of time collecting woody debris in Lake Oroville
between 2023-2025 following heavy storms, with approximately 44,000 cubic yards of
woody vegetation collected. Floating debris removal ensures continued infrastructure
operations and the safety of the recreating public on Lake Oroville. However, boaters and
other water recreationists should take precautions when operating watercrafts on Lake
Oroville and should remain alert for floating debris.
Feather River Fish Hatchery Fish Planting
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released approximately 1,886,600
fall-run Chinook salmon fry at approximately 1.4 inches each into the Feather River at the
Oroville Wildlife Area Thermalito Afterbay Outlet boat ramp in January. The fall-run
Chinook salmon were reared at the Feather River Fish Hatchery, which supports Central
Valley Chinook salmon and steelhead populations.
In addition, CDFW planted Central Valley yearling steelhead at sites along the Feather
and Sacramento rivers between January 6-27, 2026. Approximately 575,185 yearling-size
steelhead were raised in 2025 for release in local waterways, averaging approximately 10-
inches in length.
Feather River at Boyd’s Pump Boat Launch: 376,640
Sacramento River at Verona Boat Launch: 117,715
Thermalito Afterbay at Wilbur Road Boat Launch: 74,460
*NEW LOCATION: Oroville Wildlife Area at Mile Long Pond: 6,370
Thanks to a surplus of healthy steelhead yearlings at the Hatchery,
CDFW planted steelhead at a new location this year, Mile Long Pond (accessible
from the Vance Ave. entrance) in the Oroville Wildlife Area, extending cold-water fishing
opportunities beyond the river and Thermalito Afterbay. Future stocking opportunities
depend on annual hatchery conditions and cannot be guaranteed each year.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery is a California State Water Project (SWP) facility built in
the late 1960s by DWR to mitigate impacts on fish migration resulting from the
construction of Oroville Dam. DWR owns and maintains the facility and provides funding
to CDFW to perform spawning, rearing, and stocking operations.
Golden Mussel Inspection Program
DWR has moved its invasive mussel inspection/decontamination facilities at the North
Thermalito Forebay to the paved RV parking lot near the entrance. Watercraft owners
should turn right once past the main entrance. Signage has been posted to help direct
traffic. 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 4:30 p.m.
Sealed Vessel Launching
Lake Oroville
Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Starting March 8: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Spillway
Ramp hours: Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 8
p.m.
Starting March 8: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ramp hours: Monday-Thursday 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Starting March 8: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Lime Saddle
Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Starting March 8: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Loafer Creek/Loafer Point
Thermalito Afterbay
Ramp hours: Daily from 1.5 hours before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset
Monument Hill
Thermalito Forebay
Ramp Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to sunset
North Forebay (Non-motorized vessels only)
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 853 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.74 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 80 percent of its total capacity and 129 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 650 cfs through the City of Oroville with releases from
the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet at 7,350 cfs 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 2/12/2026.
California Department of Water Resources
715 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Call our general information line at 916-820-8142
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
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