HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.11.2024 Board Correspondence - FW_ Lake Oroville Community Update - October 11, 2024.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
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From:Clerk of the Board
To: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; Loeser, Kamie
Cc:Lee, Lewis
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Lake Oroville Community Update - October 11, 2024
Date:Friday, October 11, 2024 4:33:25 PM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: California Natural Resources Agency <CNRA@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2024 3:12 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Lake Oroville Community Update - October 11, 2024
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Lake Oroville Community Update
October 11, 2024
Brad Freeman Trail Improvements
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is making progress on a project to improve a
1.5-mile section of the Brad Freeman Trail between Cherokee Road and the Highway 70
Garden Drive overpass. Starting Tuesday, October 15, DWR crews will begin paving work
to construct an 8-foot-wide asphalt path. Paving activities are expected to last for two
weeks with the work schedule subject to change based on material and crew availability.
The Brad Freeman Trail between Cherokee Road and Garden Drive will remain closed
during paving work.
Additional planned trail upgrades include a 4-foot-wide decomposed granite path for
gates. The improvement project is supported by a Land and Water Conservation Fund
grant through the National Park Service, with remaining funding for the $700,000 project
provided by DWR. Project work is being constructed in phases with completion possible
this year depending on weather conditions.
Oroville Wildlife Area
The 11,800-acre Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) is a forested upland and riparian habitat
along the Feather River and around the Thermalito Afterbay. Managed by the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in partnership with DWR, the OWA allows for
additional outdoor recreation activities such as hunting, river- and pond-oriented fishing
and boating, and wildlife observation and photography.
Several trails cross throughout the OWA, providing opportunities for hiking and biking.
Other trails within the OWA are not officially designated and none are ADA accessible.
The Feather River runs through the center of the OWA and several locations provide
unpaved boat ramp access. Both car-top and trailer launching occur at many of these
ramps. A restroom is available at the day use/camping area adjacent to the Thermalito
Afterbay River Outlet area.
The OWA is a “Type C” wildlife area (hunting pass not required) and is open for hunting
seven days a week with entry hours limited from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after
sunset. No rifles or pistols may be used or possessed on the wildlife area except at the
designated shooting range (Rabe Rd. Shooting Range off Larkin Rd.; open seven days a
week from sunrise to sunset). Lead ammunition cannot be used while hunting in
California.
Water Control Manual Update Informational Meeting
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento District will host a public
meeting on October 15 to share information regarding water control manual updates for
New Bullards Bar and Oroville Dams. The meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at
the Sutter County Veterans Memorial Building at 1425 Veterans Memorial Circle in Yuba
City.
USACE will present information on its water control manual update process, purpose and
need, key issues, and the process timeline. Following the presentation, audience
members will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the update process.
Comment cards will also be available to submit questions or comments.
Water Control Manuals are the operational procedures that guide storm-season
operations to ensure dam owners comply with federal rules related to flood management
for the protection of downstream communities. Updates to the Water Control Manuals for
Oroville and New Bullards Bar are being considered to reflect recent improvements to
forecasting and coordinated operations between the two reservoirs.
Oroville Recreation
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.
DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), and 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, the Lake Oroville Visitor Center, and the
Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.
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.
Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between
Jan. 1 and Sept. 28 are:
Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,150
Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 14,080
Steelhead: 1,157
Current Lake Operations
Lake Oroville is at 772 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.81 million acre-feet
(MAF), which is 53 percent of its total capacity and 97 percent of the historical average.
Feather River flows are at 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with
2,200 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total
Feather River release of 3,000 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 10/10/2024.
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
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
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