Lake Oroville Update - July 19, 2024

Published: July 19, 2024

Nesting Grebes Receive Help From DWR

During the summer months, a unique bird makes its home in the waters around the Oroville-Thermalito Complex, with a little help from the Department of Water Resources (DWR). The Western and Clark's grebes are aquatic birds with distinctive red eyes and pointed yellow beaks. During the summer, they arrive from the Pacific Ocean to nesting areas around the Thermalito Afterbay in Oroville. The grebes nest in shallow waters, attaching their floating nests to aquatic vegetation.

Unfortunately, fluctuations in water levels at reservoirs can either leave nests stranded, more susceptible to predators, or flooded. Every year since 2004, DWR has established a goal of keeping Thermalito Afterbay water levels within a targeted range until the end of the birds' breeding and nesting season in September.

DWR biologists have observed active grebe nesting at the Thermalito Afterbay. Watercraft users are advised to remain alert for floating nests and to motor/paddle around them to leave nests undisturbed. DWR is conducting grebe surveys to estimate adult and young populations at the Afterbay through early October.

Camping at Lake Oroville

The summer months invite everyone to get outside and enjoy the benefits of longer daylight hours. However, summer heat can make recreating outdoors tiring, which makes Lake Oroville the perfect place for your next camping adventure. The Lake Oroville State Recreation Area boasts 167 miles of shoreline and numerous tent, trailer or boat camping sites operated by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). With the lake a short distance away, campers can cool off in the refreshing water one minute and grill some burgers on a barbecue the next. Lake Oroville is also home to floating campsites and boat-in campgrounds for those looking to spend more time on the water. Reserve a camping site at https://reservecalifornia.com or contact State Parks at (800) 444-7275.

Recreation Facilities Closed Following Thompson Fire

Several trails and recreation facilities remain closed within Lake Oroville's State Recreation Area following the Thompson Fire. DWR and State Parks continue to assess fire impacts to recreation facilities and long-term closures of some facilities are anticipated for repairs and hazard tree removal.

State Parks has reopened all campgrounds, the North Thermalito Forebay, and most day use areas. The Spillway boat ramp and day use area remains open with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) kiosk staffed daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Closures remain in effect at the following locations for damage assessment and repairs:

• Brad Freeman Trail between Cherokee Road and the Spillway
• Brad Freeman Trail between the Fish Barrier Dam and Canyon Drive
• Dan Beebe Trail between the Lakeland Boulevard Trail Access and the Lake Oroville Visitor Center
• Lakeland Boulevard Trail Access
• Powerhouse Road Trail Access
• Diversion Pool Car-top Boat Ramp
• Potter's Ravine Trail
• Potter's Point Trail
• Potter's Ravine Spur Trail
• Dead Cow Ravine Trail and Gobbler's Knob
• North Fork Trail

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.

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 and is a popular destination for bass tournaments. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services including a convenience store, gas, and boat rentals. Below the Oroville Dam, the Thermalito Afterbay and the Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities.

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 January 1 and July 14 are:

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 1 through June 30): 7,122
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 768
• Steelhead: 893

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 869 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.97 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 87 percent of its total capacity and 119 percent of the historical average. Updates to Lake Oroville's storage capacity went into effect on July 1.

Feather River flows are at 1,500 cfs through the City of Oroville with 6,500 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet (Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 8,000 cfs downstream. DWR continues to assess Feather River releases daily.

Releases from Oroville Dam's main spillway ceased earlier this summer, but water is still being released through the Hyatt Powerplant for power generation, water deliveries, and environmental requirements. When the main spillway is not in use, water may still be seen on the main spillway outlet as the seals on the eight radial gates are not designed to be watertight. The gate seals do not play a role in the structural integrity of the gates. Visitors to Oroville Dam may also notice minor amounts of water flowing from drains built into the emergency spillway. This is normal and expected given the emergency spillway design. The dam and emergency spillway continue to operate as intended.

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 7/18/2024.