Lake Oroville Update - February 27, 2026

DWR Maintaining Releases for Flood Protection

With recent rain and low-elevation snow in the Feather River watershed, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is maintaining water releases from Oroville Dam to provide flood protection for downstream communities. Releases are being made through the Hyatt Powerplant for power generation and Oroville Dam’s main spillway. DWR continues to conserve as much water as possible while continuing to meet federal guidelines for downstream flood protection and state environmental regulations. 

Between mid-September 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 storage space that is reserved to capture inflows from rain and snowmelt, while protecting downstream communities from damaging flood events through coordinated releases. To maintain this storage space, DWR conducts flood protection releases from Lake Oroville. Some of the water released from Oroville for flood control is captured downstream for beneficial uses by local landowners, communities, and the State Water Project. Releases from Oroville Dam also support Feather River habitat for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and other river species.

DWR coordinates releases to the Feather River closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other downstream water operators. DWR advises Feather River recreation users 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: 862 feet elevation 

• Current Storage: 84 percent of capacity

• Total Releases to the Feather River: 10,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)

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. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize water storage and allow for carryover storage into the following year. 

Visit the Loafer Creek Recreation Area

Located along the southern shoreline of Lake Oroville, the Loafer Creek Recreation Area offers several hiking, equestrian, and biking trails that are largely shaded by trees. Trails include the Loafer Creek Day Use Trail (1.3 miles), Loafer Creek Loop (3.2 miles), Roy Rogers Trail (4.9 miles), and Loafer Creek Bike Trail (0.63 miles). Some trails also run along Lake Oroville’s shoreline and provide scenic views of the lake while visitors meet their daily activity goals. Recreators can connect to additional Lake Oroville State Recreation Area trails from Roy Rogers Trail to the Bidwell Canyon Saddle Dam Trail. View DWR’s online recreation map for more details.  

The Loafer Creek Day Use Area features a beach area for shallow wading and swimming, restroom facilities, barbecues, picnic tables, and drinking fountains. The recreation area offers great wildflower displays and lush green vegetation in the springtime and is also an excellent spot to beat the heat during the summer. 

Three different campgrounds are located within the Loafer Creek Recreation Area and serve a variety of recreation needs. 

• Coyote Campground: Features 137 individual campsites that can accommodate tents or trailers (no hookups). An RV sanitation station is available. Each campsite features a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Bathroom facilities offer accessible flush toilets and showers for visitors. 

• Loafer Creek Group Campground: Six group sites accommodate up to 25 people each. Campsites feature a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Bathroom facilities offer accessible flush toilets and showers for visitors. Larger groups may reserve more than one site.

• Loafer Creek Equestrian Campground: Offers 15 campsites that each have a fire ring, grill, and picnic table, and can accommodate horse trailer parking. Each campsite includes a pipe corral to feed and secure horses. Bathroom facilities offer accessible flush toilets and showers for visitors. There is also a horse washing area that can accommodate two horses at a time, and an equestrian exercise ring (50-foot round pen).  

The Loafer Creek Recreation Area also has several boat ramps for launching at Lake Oroville, although trailered launching inspection requirements remain in place for invasive mussel prevention. All boat ramps have nearby parking lots providing ample vehicle and trailer parking with ADA designated spots.

Golden Mussel Inspection Program

DWR has moved its invasive mussel inspection/decontamination facilities at the North Thermalito Forebay to the paved RV parking lot near the entrance. Watercraft owners should turn right once past the main entrance. Signage has been posted to help direct traffic. More details about DWR’s mussel inspection program are available at water.ca.gov/mussels.

Watercraft Inspection Location/Decontamination Services

North Thermalito Forebay at Garden Drive and HWY 70 in Oroville 

Hours of operation: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Starting March 8: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Sealed Vessel Launching 

Lake Oroville

Ramp hours: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Starting March 8: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Spillway  

Ramp hours: Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Starting March 8: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Bidwell Canyon

Ramp hours: Monday-Thursday 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Starting March 8: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Lime Saddle

Ramp hours: Daily from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Starting March 8: Daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Loafer Creek/Loafer Point

Thermalito Afterbay 

Ramp hours: Daily from 1.5 hours before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset

• Monument Hill

Thermalito Forebay

Ramp Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to sunset

• North Forebay (Non-motorized vessels only)

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 862 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.87 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 84 percent of its total capacity and 130 percent of the historical average.

Feather River flows are at 650 cfs through the City of Oroville with releases from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet at 9,350 cfs for a total Feather River release of 10,000 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 11:59 p.m. on 2/26/2026.