HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.20.2024 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - September 20, 2024.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
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From:Clerk of the Board
To:Loeser, Kamie; Bennett, Robin; Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter;
Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod; Kitts, Melissa; Lee, Lewis; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.;
Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth
Cc:Nevers, Dawn
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - September 20, 2024
Date:Friday, September 20, 2024 4:35:11 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2024 2:56 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - September 20, 2024
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Lake Oroville Community Update
September 20, 2024
Routine Spillway Inspections Scheduled
Following another wet winter requiring flood control releases from Oroville Dam’s main
spillway, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will be cleaning and performing
routine annual inspections of the concrete spillway chute. DWR contractor Syblon Reid
will begin cleaning areas of the spillway the week of Sept. 23. Members of the public
should expect to see crews using pressure washers, brooms, and small cleaning
equipment, followed by engineers traversing the spillway on foot conducting the
inspections.
Annual inspections of the main spillway are conducted by DWR engineers. During the
sealant, and dentates (energy dissipators at the base of the spillway structure). Routine
maintenance activities are expected this fall based on inspection results and reservoir
levels.
The main spillway continues to perform well and operate as designed. The spillway was
rebuilt to the highest engineering and safety standards with oversight and guidance by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD), and
an independent board of consultants. DWR performed a significant amount of inspection
and testing throughout construction to verify compliance with project specifications. DWR
also provides regular updates to the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission, a public
forum for discussing operations, maintenance, and public safety activities at Oroville Dam
and its facilities.
Lakeside Access Road Now Open
Lake Oroville’s water elevation has dropped sufficiently low to allow DWR to reopen the
Lakeside Access Road, providing around-the-clock access to the Spillway Boat Ramp and
Day Use Area. Construction of Lakeside Access Road was completed in 2022 and
provides a direct route to the Spillway Day Use Area from Oroville Dam Crest Road
without requiring visitors to pass through the California Highway Patrol (CHP) inspection
kiosk. The CHP kiosk will now be closed with Lakeside Access Road’s reopening.
Geotechnical Investigation
Starting Sept. 23, DWR will begin drilling associated with a geotechnical investigation of
Parish Camp Saddle Dam located near the Lime Saddle Marina. The investigation will
provide below-surface data needed to analyze and study the dam’s foundation. The
geotechnical investigation is a recommendation by Independent Consultants as part of
routine facility performance and safety reviews (Part 12D) that are reported to the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). DWR’s drilling plan was reviewed and approved
by FERC and the California Division of Safety of Dams. In addition to the sampling of soil
and rock materials, DWR plans to conduct optical and geophysical surveys within select
drill holes to further DWR’s understanding of the subsurface geology, rock quality, and
foundation properties. DWR anticipates Parish Camp Saddle Dam field work to conclude
by early November.
Recreation Facilities Update Following Thompson Fire
DWR and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) reopened a
few Lake Oroville State Recreation Area trails and facilities this week following damage
from the Thompson Fire. The Brad Freeman Trail (also known as Burma Road) that runs
along the north side of the Diversion Pool between Cherokee Road and the Spillway Day
Use Area is now open. A section of the Brad Freeman Trail between Oroville Dam Crest
Road and the Lower Overlook has reopened in addition to a section of the Dan Beebe
Trail between the Lower Overlook and Lake Oroville Visitor Center. The Diversion Pool
Car-top Boat Ramp off Cherokee Road is also open for public use. DWR and State Parks
continue to assess fire impacts to recreation facilities and prioritize recovery efforts. While
additional facilities are expected to reopen in the coming months, long-term closures of
some facilities are anticipated for repairs and ongoing hazard tree removal.
Closures remain in effect at the following locations for hazard tree removal and repairs:
Brad Freeman Trail between the Fish Barrier Dam and Lower Overlook
Dan Beebe Trail between the Lakeland Boulevard Trail Access and the Lower
Overlook
Lakeland Boulevard Trail Access
Powerhouse Road Trail Access
Potter’s Ravine Trail
Potter’s Point Trail
Potter’s Ravine Spur Trail
Dead Cow Ravine Trail and Gobbler’s Knob
North Fork Trail
DWR, State Parks, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (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.
Feather River Floating Classrooms
Feather River Floating Classroom raft tours are returning this fall, and this year they are
FREE! Sponsored and developed by DWR, the Floating Classroom program takes
participants through Feather River spawning habitat while scientists with DWR and Pacific
States Marine Fisheries Commission provide information on Chinook salmon conservation
efforts, ongoing and planned research, restoration and monitoring projects, and fisheries
management activities supported by DWR’s State Water Project.
Free rafting tours this fall are scheduled each Saturday starting Oct. 5 through Nov. 9.
Each Saturday will have multiple floating classroom sessions with limited seats. Tickets
are available on a first-come, first-served basis with up to four free tickets available per
unique registration. Participants must complete the online risk acknowledgment and
liability release form within three days (72 hours) of reservation confirmation or tickets will
be forfeited. Reserve your FREE floating classroom ticket on Eventbrite.
Oroville Recreation
Staffed by knowledgeable guides, the Lake Oroville Visitor Center features interpretive
displays on Oroville Dam, area geology, wildlife and habitat, hydroelectric power, and
cultural and historical artifacts. View videos in the theater about the construction of
Oroville Dam, walk or hike along nearby trails, and visit the 47-foot-tall observation tower
that provides unsurpassed panoramic views of surrounding areas. Free guided tours for
school and community groups are available by reservation. Parking and admission to the
Visitor Center are free.
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.
Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between
Jan. 1 and Sept. 11 are:
This email was sent to clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net from the California Natural Resources Agencyutilizing govDelivery. California Natural Resources Agency, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 10,022
Steelhead: 1,018
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 794 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.04 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 60 percent of its total capacity and 104 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with
8,350 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total
Feather River release of 9,000 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 9/19/2024.
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
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