![The Thompson Fire burned portions of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area including the Brad Freeman Bike Trail as seen from the Spillway Day Use Area.](/-/media/DWR-Images/Oroville/Spillway-Gravel-Parking-Lot.jpg?mw=200&hash=0B136554AB953C3FC4B6FFA1C1DE7262)
DWR Updates
![The Thompson Fire burned portions of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area including the Brad Freeman Bike Trail as seen from the Spillway Day Use Area.](/-/media/DWR-Images/Oroville/Spillway-Gravel-Parking-Lot.jpg?mw=200&hash=0B136554AB953C3FC4B6FFA1C1DE7262)
![Image of Thompson Fire in Butte County](/-/media/DWR-Images/Oroville/image-(2).png?mw=200&hash=F2B35A7840E3ACC52D0370B608557F97)
Lake Oroville Community Update for July 5, 2024.
![Juvenile salmonids are collected from the screw traps placed on the Feather River. Photo taken March 8, 2024.](/-/media/DWR-Images/Fish/2024_03_08_AN_2177_Salmon_Egg_Deployment.jpg?mw=200&hash=8CA1F087CD8797FC130D586FFB208B6C)
Along the North Fork of the Feather River, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is conducting an innovative reintroduction feasibility study for Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon that would help boost the salmon population and potentially return the species to its historic habitat.
![Thousands gathered at the Thermalito North State Recreation Area in Oroville, California to watch the 4th of July fireworks organized by Oroville-area organizations and supported by the California Department of Water Resources and other government agencies. Photo taken July 4, 2017.](/-/media/DWR-Images/People/FL_Oroville-8499_07_04_2017.jpg?mw=200&hash=9B676DC6AC8679046C1F6FA76BCFCDD2)
![An aerial view shows high water conditions at the Bidwell Canyon Marina, Bidwell Bar Bridge can be seen in the background, located at Lake Oroville in Butte County, California. Photo taken May 9, 2024.](/-/media/DWR-Images/Oroville/2024_05_09_SN_1010_SN_Lake_Levels_Aerial.jpg?mw=200&hash=4449F2C859ECF9F6C009D9105B421DC7)
![A mechanical apprentice practices welding at DWR’s Training Center.](/-/media/DWR-Images/People/FL_Mettler-3134.jpg?mw=200&hash=DBCE507BD49630BB611238B8DB1F4B8F)
Take the first step towards a career in the hydroelectric industry by applying for DWR’s Operations and Maintenance apprenticeship program. Completing the program leads to a full-time journey-level position with DWR.
With California experiencing extreme swings between severe drought to torrential rain, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) wanted to see if the State Water Project's largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, had shrunk (or lost storage capacity) due to weather swings and almost six decades of service.
![DWR senior environmental scientist Sarah Brown standing next to the banner for her workshop on Marine eDNA in Washington D.C.](/-/media/DWR-Images/People/edna-workshop-banner.jpg?mw=200&hash=DB9619FBC6B6AAF165CE1D0016A1BB75)
One of the primary goals of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is to use the newest and best available science for water management. DWR also pioneers that science, as shown recently in an article about “Using Genetic Identification to Find Spring-run Salmon and More.”
![CAL FIRE Butte County crews monitor a controlled burn in the Thermalito Forebay area to minimize invasive and dried grasses.](/-/media/DWR-Images/Other/PXL_20210603_224821597.jpg?mw=200&hash=2804951C75058E85F0285E404B394EF1)
California’s newest state park, Dos Rios, officially opened on June 12 in the San Joaquin Valley and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is honored to be one of many partners that helped bring it to life.