Lake Oroville Update - November 22, 2024

Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission

The California Natural Resources Agency is hosting its 18th Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting. The virtual public meeting will include presentations and public comment. Presentations will include an update on winter forecasts and operations preparation from the Department of Water Resources (DWR); an overview of a recent joint State-local Oroville Dam emergency response training exercise led by DWR; a presentation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on its process to update the Water Control Manual, which prescribes day-to-day water flood control management for the Oroville Reservoir; and a commissioner-led presentation on how the Water Control Manual relates to public safety, including perspectives on public safety-focused objectives for the update. The Citizens Advisory Commission is a forum for questions and feedback from communities surrounding Oroville Dam. For information about the meeting, please visit the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission website. 

 

Feather River Fishing Opportunities

Like Chinook salmon that migrate from the Pacific Ocean to the Feather River to spawn, steelhead trout have similar migratory practices, with most returning in the fall and winter months. With more than 1,300 steelhead trout migrating upstream from DWR’s fish monitoring station this year, the cooler months offer prime steelhead fishing opportunities in the Feather River. The Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) provides walk-in access to several miles of the Feather River for fishing. In addition, the Thermalito Forebay and Thermalito Afterbay offer additional excellent fishing opportunities for steelhead.

 

Lake Oroville is also 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, with excellent bass fishing opportunities during the fall and winter months. Be sure to check California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) fishing regulations before fishing. 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.

 

Watch for Ticks on Trails

DWR staff are reporting high numbers of ticks this fall along Lake Oroville State Recreation Area trails and within vegetated or grassy portions of the Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA). Ticks are parasites that feed off the blood of a host such as an animal or human. They live in vegetated areas and crawl to the tips of grasses, brush, leaves, or branches and wait for a host to brush up against them. Ticks can carry diseases including Lyme Disease, which can be transmitted to a host and cause serious illness and long-term health issues.

When recreating around Lake Oroville and the OWA, protect yourself from ticks using these methods:

• Walk in the center of trails, avoiding woody or brushy areas with high grass or leaf litter.
• Treat clothing with Permethrin and apply insect repellant to skin and the edges of clothing prior to heading outdoors.
• Wear long pants, sleeves, socks, and close-toed shoes to prevent ticks from attaching to skin.
• Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to spot ticks.
• Examine your clothing, gear, and body thoroughly following outdoor activities.

 

Exercising at Oroville Dam

While Oroville Dam plays a critical role in providing flood protection to downstream communities, it is also a prime location for physical fitness. A 1.3-mile paved road and separated two-lane multi-use path runs the length of the dam’s crest, offering an opportunity for exercise while enjoying scenic views of both Lake Oroville and the valley. Free parking is available on either side of the dam’s crest with restroom facilities located at the intersection of Canyon Drive and Oroville Dam Crest Road. Additional nearby parking is available at the Oroville Dam Crest Overlook, with a short path connecting to the dam crest road. For early birds or late-night fitness enthusiasts, the dam crest path has full lighting, making it a great location for free outdoor recreation during the shorter daylight hours of the autumn and winter months.

 

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 and the Lake Oroville Visitor Center.

 

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.

 

Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1 are:  

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,152
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 37,136
• Steelhead: 1,314

 

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 758 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.68 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 49 percent of its total capacity and 95 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 1,750 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 11/21/2024.

 

DWR wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

The Lake Oroville Community Update will return on December 6, 2024.

 

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Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov.