Lake Oroville Update - October 4, 2024

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 5:00 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 the 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.

 

California Prepares for Extreme Weather Swings

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) previewed the new Water Year which started October 1 by highlighting preparations for more extreme weather events this season following a record hot summer across much of California and a looming La Niña pattern.

 

Over the past decade, climate extremes have posed significant challenges to water managers, especially the extreme hot and dry conditions that frequently persist well past summer months and into the fall. California is seeing that right now with above-average temperatures forecast into October and no rain in the current forecast. At the same time, the water that California does receive will arrive from more powerful storms, and hotter temperatures will mean less winter precipitation falls as snow and more will arrive as rain, increasing flood risk.

 

While Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently 98 percent of average, the latest outlook from NOAA’s Climate Predication Center shows a 71 percent chance of La Niña conditions emerging this fall. While seven of the 10 La Niña events this century resulted in dry years, research also suggests that even as the climate grows hotter and drier overall, the precipitation that California does receive will arrive in stronger storms, increasing the risk of flooding.

 

More information about new Water Year preparations is available in DWR’s press release.

 

Oroville Salmon Festival

DWR had a great time supporting the City of Oroville’s Salmon Festival celebrating the migration of native Chinook salmon in the Feather River. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our educational booth and took a free tour of the Feather River Fish Hatchery. DWR staff estimated that approximately 600 children and adults participated in DWR-led tours of the Hatchery, where Chinook salmon and steelhead are raised to improve fisheries populations throughout the state.

 

DWR also partnered with the Oroville State Theater to showcase videos about efforts to support vital salmon habitat restoration, fisheries health, and population growth. To learn more about what DWR is doing year-round to support Feather River fish populations, visit our Storymap webpage.

 

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, 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.

 

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. 19 are:  

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,151
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 12,654
• Steelhead: 1,103

 

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 777 feet elevation and storage is approximately 1.86 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 54 percent of its total capacity and 98 percent of the historical average.

 

Feather River flows are at 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with 4,200 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 5,000 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 10/3/2024.

 

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