Lake Oroville Update - February 14, 2025

Flood Control Releases from Lake Oroville Continue

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues federally required flood control releases from Lake Oroville to maintain flood protection for downstream communities. Water is being released through the Hyatt Powerplant for energy production and from Oroville Dam’s main spillway. With lessening storms and reduced inflows into Lake Oroville, DWR has decreased total Feather River flood control releases to 17,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Releases are subject to change based on ongoing weather conditions.

 

Between October 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 is required to release water from Lake Oroville.

 

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: 857 feet elevation
• Current Storage Capacity: 82 percent
• Total Releases to the Feather River: 17,000 cfs; decreasing to 15,000 cfs on Feb. 17 and 14,000 cfs on Feb. 18

 

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. Some water released from Lake Oroville is distributed locally for agriculture benefits, while the remaining Feather River releases flow south through the State Water Project system to reduce salinity effects in the Delta, provide irrigation for crops in the Central Valley, and eventually make their way to Southern California. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize water storage while allowing for carryover storage into next year.

 

Brood Ponds Support Native Wildlife

Within the Oroville-Thermalito Complex, DWR maintains several areas that preserve and enhance wildlife habitat. Encompassed within the Thermalito Afterbay’s 17 miles of shoreline and 4,300 surface acres of water are numerous brood ponds that provide prime habitat and breeding areas for waterfowl and giant garter snakes, a protected species. While water levels at the Afterbay may fluctuate based on agriculture and hydropower operations, DWR ensures brood pond habitats remain stable. A flap gate outlet system permits water to flow into brood pond areas, raising water levels while preventing water from being released and maintaining a stable elevation for waterfowl nests and giant garter snakes. These measures ensure these species continue to thrive, upholding DWR’s commitment to protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments.

 

Fishing at Lake Oroville

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, with excellent bass fishing opportunities during the fall and winter months.

 

To improve fish habitats at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay, DWR works with members of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) to bundle recycled Christmas trees and anchor them in various locations around the lakebed. Anchoring the trees allows them to remain submerged, providing juvenile fish safe refuge, and improving fisheries and recreational fishing opportunities. Installation of the Christmas tree habitats will occur in the coming weeks.

 

Driftwood Abatement at Lake Oroville

With a significant increase in runoff into Lake Oroville from recent storm systems, DWR’s civil maintenance crews have been patrolling 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. Over 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 in 2023 and 2024 following heavy storms and high reservoir levels with over 19,000 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 watercraft on Lake Oroville and should remain alert for floating debris.

 

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.

 

DWR, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (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.

 

Upstream migrating fish totals through the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station between Jan. 1 and Jan. 29, 2025 are:  

• Fall-run Chinook salmon: 23
• Steelhead: 63
• Ahead of anticipated increased river flows at the fish monitoring station, monitoring equipment has been removed, which will impact count estimates.
• To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.

 

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 857 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.8 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 82 percent of its total capacity and 131 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 7,000 cfs through the City of Oroville with 10,000 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 17,000 cfs downstream. Total Feather River releases will decrease to 15,000 cfs on Feb. 17 and 14,000 cfs on Feb. 18, with flows from the Outlet remaining at 10,000 cfs. 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 2/13/2025.

 

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