 The Snow Goose Festival is in full swing in Butte County. This is the perfect event for birders to watch the migration of not only snow geese, but a plethora of other birds as well.
There is still time to get a tour for January 25 or 26. Just Click Here. If you don't want to be part of a tour, you can bird watch on your own. Locally there will be birds on Lake Oroville and at the Oroville Wildlife Area. So, pack a lunch and bring a pair of binoculars! To learn more about local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net  Restaurant Week is in full swing in Butte County this week thanks to Explore Butte County. Head to your favorite local restaurants to try their delicious pairings. In Oroville, you can experience a delicious pairing at Miner's Alley Brewing Company and The Exchange. There is also the opportunity to win some gift cards.
For a full list of participating restaurants and event details, Click Here.  January 17, 2020Lake Oroville Community UpdateDWR Completes Spillway-Release Siren Testing at Oroville Dam’s Main Spillway
On Wednesday, January 15, DWR completed its first scheduled testing of new spillway-release sirens near the Oroville Dam’s main spillway. The spillway-release sirens are not used to alert the community of an emergency. They indicate to nearby employees and visitors that releases down Oroville Dam’s main spillway are about to begin, which can cause water levels in the Diversion Pool to rise. Moving forward, the spillway-release sirens will be tested monthly. DWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway Is Successfully Completed Oroville residents may have seen Oroville Dam’s main spillway lit up at night this week for the continuous 72-hour testing period required by the manufacturer. The lights are now fully functioning and will be used intermittently based on operational needs and any future testing requirements. Oroville Field Division Successfully Removes over 20 Acres of Debris from Lake Oroville Oroville Field Division (OFD) maintenance crews successfully completed a controlled burn project in a remote cove on the Feather River’s South Fork arm of Lake Oroville this week. Over 20 acres of logs, branches and other floating debris collected this past spring from the reservoir was gathered into small piles for burning. The effort to collect, transport and dispose of floating debris from the 15,810-acre reservoir (when full) is a yearly effort for OFD crews. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 794 feet and storage is about 2.1 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between approximately 2,745 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 4,420 cfs over the past week. Cloudy conditions are expected through the weekend with continued cloudy conditions and a chance of rain and snow Monday through Wednesday during the week of January 20. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin rainfall is below average, at 61 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 77 percent of normal for this time of year. Water is being released from Lake Oroville at a rate of about 2,500 cfs. Water from the reservoir is being used locally for rice stubble decomposition and to support waterfowl habitat and is also being used to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Releases to the Feather River are 2,000 cfs, with about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and 1,200 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. A slight reduction of total releases to Feather River, below the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet, are projected during the week of January 20 for conservation purposes. All data as of midnight 1/16/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net January 10, 2020Lake Oroville Community UpdateNew Oroville Spillway Sirens to be Tested Wednesday, January 15
Residents and visitors near Oroville Dam can expect to hear loud siren noises after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15 for the testing of new sirens near the Oroville Dam main spillway. Following a “This is only a test” verbal announcement, there will be multiple 10-second soundings over the course of several hours as sirens at different locations are tested and activated. The 121-decibel level sounding will be audible to neighboring residents, motorists on Oro Dam Blvd. East and visitors to recreation areas around Oroville Dam, including the Diversion Pool, Spillway Boat Ramp area and Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road. Testing is anticipated to be concluded by late Wednesday afternoon. The sirens are in place to notify nearby persons that water releases down Oroville Dam’s main spillway are about to begin. The sirens will be tested monthly. DWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway to Begin mid-to-late January Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will begin during the last weeks of January with some preliminary tests taking place beforehand. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the lights’ activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. Donate Your Christmas Tree for Lake Oroville Fish Habitat The Chico Boy Scouts Troop 2 will be collecting Christmas trees this Saturday, January 11 at three locations in Chico. The locations can be found on their website. In addition to trees already scheduled for pick-up by the Troop’s volunteers, the trees will be recycled into prime habitat for fish and other wildlife at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay through a partnership between DWR, area Boy Scouts troops, Recology and the California Conservation Corps. All trees must have all ornaments removed and flocked trees are not able to be accepted. DWR’s over 25 years of work with local groups to construct fish habitat structures at Lake Oroville is one of the longest continuously running fish habitat improvement programs in the State of California. Oroville Field Division Continues Controlled Burns in Lake Oroville Cove Oroville Field Division (OFD) maintenance crews will continue to conduct controlled burning in a remote cove on the Feather River’s South Fork arm of Lake Oroville. Throughout the year, OFD crews collect logs, branches and other floating debris carried into Lake Oroville from the three forks of the Feather River to the remote cove. After the first rains of the season, crews gather the logs into small piles for burning. The public is advised to use caution if visiting the area. These controlled burns will continue until all of the debris is removed. New Recreation Improvement Project Begins at Lake Oroville's Loafer Point The first of two projects to improve recreation and public access at Lake Oroville’s Loafer Creek State Recreation Area began in December near the Loafer Creek Day Use Area. The $5 million Loafer Point Boat Ramp Facility Stage One project will include construction of a 92-stall parking area with lighting, a new restroom facility, three new boat launch lanes and one boarding float lane. The boat launch lanes will provide access to Lake Oroville at lake elevations between 900 feet and 800 feet. The project is anticipated to be completed by August 2020. A project to construct a second stage parking lot and boat ramp for launching at lower water levels is also being planned. For public safety, the day use area at Loafer Creek will be closed until approximately mid-April, depending on weather. The public is advised to be aware of construction equipment and activities and abide by all restricted-area signage. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 790 feet and storage is over 2 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between approximately 3,370 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 4,140 cfs over the past week. Light amounts of rain and snow are forecasted through the weekend, with colder temperatures and chances of continued precipitation and snow in the lower elevations of the Feather River watershed during the week of January 13. Water is being released from Lake Oroville at a rate of about 2,500 cfs. Water from the reservoir is being used locally for rice stubble decomposition and to support waterfowl habitat and is also being used to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Releases to the Feather River are 2,000 cfs, with about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and 1,200 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All reservoir data as of midnight 1/9/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net January 3, 2020Lake Oroville Community UpdateNew Recreation Improvement Project Begins at Lake Oroville's Loafer Point
The first of two projects to improve recreation and public access at Lake Oroville’s Loafer Creek State Recreation Area began last week at Loafer Point near the Loafer Creek Day Use Area. The $5 million Loafer Point Boat Ramp Facility Stage One project will include construction of a 92-stall parking area with lighting, a new restroom facility, three new boat launch lanes and one boarding float lane. The boat launch lanes will provide access to Lake Oroville at lake elevations of 900 feet to 800 feet. The project is anticipated to be completed by August 2020. A project to construct a second stage parking lot and boat ramp, for launching at lower water levels, is also being planned. For public safety, the Day Use Area at Loafer Creek will be closed until approximately mid-April, depending on weather. The public is advised to be aware of construction equipment and activities and abide by all restricted-area signage. Donate Your Christmas Tree for Lake Oroville Fish Habitat The Oroville Boy Scouts Troop 29 will be collecting Christmas trees this Saturday, January 4, at 1426 Safford Street in Oroville. The trees will be recycled into prime habitat for fish and other wildlife at Lake Oroville and the Thermalito Afterbay through a partnership between DWR, area Boy Scouts troops, Recology and the California Conservation Corps. The Chico Boy Scouts Troop 2 will begin their collection on January 11. All trees must have all ornaments removed and flocked trees are not able to be accepted. DWR’s over 25 years of work with local groups to construct fish habitat structures at Lake Oroville is one of the longest continuously running fish habitat improvement programs in the State of California. New Traffic Calming Devices Installed at Spillway Boat Ramp Access Road Motorists returning to Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp area will notice the temporary rubber traffic calming devices, or speed bumps, near the security kiosks have been replaced. The new, permanent speed bumps will maintain traffic safety while providing improved travel, particularly for visitors towing boats or trailers. Motorists are encouraged to be alert and abide by all speed limit restrictions. Oroville Field Division Continues Controlled Burns in Lake Oroville Cove Oroville Field Division (OFD) maintenance crews are currently conducting controlled burning in a remote cove on the Feather River’s South Fork arm of Lake Oroville. Throughout the year, OFD crews collect logs, branches and other floating debris carried into Lake Oroville from the three forks of the Feather River to the remote cove. After the first rains of the season, crews gather the logs into small piles for burning. The public is advised to use caution if visiting the area. These controlled burns will continue until all of the debris is removed. DWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway to Occur in 2020 Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will take place in mid-January. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the lights’ activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville reservoir is about 790 feet and storage is just over 2 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between approximately 3,732 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 4,140 cfs over the past week. Extremely light amounts of rain and snow are forecasted through the weekend and chances of additional light amounts of rain and snow during the week of Jan. 6 are also possible. Water is being released from Lake Oroville at a rate of about 2,500 cfs. Water from the reservoir is being used locally for rice stubble decomposition and to support waterfowl habitat and is also being used to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Releases to the Feather River were decreased from 2,300 cfs to 2,000 cfs last week for conservation of storage, with 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and 1,200 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. *all reservoir data as of midnight 1/2/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net  FRRPD WILDFLOWER & NATURE FESTIVAL 2020
Feather River Recreation and Park District is happy to announce the return of our annual Wildflower & Nature Festival! This year’s festival is on Saturday, April 4th. The event runs from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and will be held at Riverbend Park in Oroville. Booth registration has already started! Last year we had over 3 thousand people in attendance and we expect this year to be even better! This is a rain or shine event. The Wildflower & Nature Festival shines a spotlight on our local beauty. This event is centered around the nature of Butte County. The festival will be free admission and will have tons of fun activities to offer for all ages. We will have children’s craft and game area, live music, and more! Local businesses and organizations may reserve booth space to sell handmade and natural items or provide appropriate information and materials to guests. We will also have a Food Truck Alley for food vendors. This year we are partnering with United Way of Northern California who will be holding a 5k Color Run the morning of the event. The race will begin at 10:00 AM to kick off the festival! If you are interested in participating as a vendor, you can download the application here: https://www.frrpd.com/wildflower-and-nature-festival or print out the application attached to this email. You can mail in your application and payment or come down and visit us at the Activity Center at 1875 Feather River Blvd. in Oroville. Booth space is limited so turn in your application as quickly as possible. If you have any questions or concerns regarding whether or not you would be a good fit please feel free to contact me directly so we can go over your products and values. For more festival information visit our website at www.FRRPD.com. We look forward to partnering with you and holding an amazing event!  December 20, 2019Lake Oroville Community UpdateUPDATE: The next Lake Oroville Community Update will be distributed on Friday, January 3. Additional information regarding weather and operations will be shared proactively as needed. We wish you a very Happy Holiday season and a joyful New Year.
Notification: The California Department of Water Resources will be sending out the weekly Oroville Community Update email newsletter from a new email subscription management service starting January 1, 2020. Subscriber information previously provided to NationBuilder will be moved to the California Natural Resources Agency’s ListServe 16.0 supported by L-Soft. Subscribers who do not want their information moved to CNRA’s ListServe 16.0 can unsubscribe from receiving the Oroville Community Update by December 27, 2019. Unsubscribe from receiving the Oroville Community Update. Please email oroville@water.ca.gov if you have any questions. New Traffic Calming Devices Installed at Spillway Boat Ramp Access Road Motorists returning to Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp area will notice the temporary rubber traffic calming devices, or speed bumps, near the security kiosks have been replaced. The new, permanent speed bumps will maintain traffic safety while providing improved travel, particularly for visitors towing boats or trailers. Motorists are encouraged to be alert and abide by all speed limit restrictions. Oroville Field Division Starts Controlled Burns in Lake Oroville Cove Every spring, Oroville Field Division (OFD) maintenance crews collect floating debris carried into Lake Oroville by winter rains from the three forks of the Feather River. Logs, branches and other floating debris is secured and towed to a remote cove on the Feather River’s South Fork arm of the lake. As summer water deliveries result in lower lake levels, the floating debris is deposited on the shoreline. After the first rains of the season, OFD’s maintenance crews pile the logs into small piles for burning. The public is advised to use caution if visiting the area. These controlled burns will continue until all of the debris is removed. DWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway to Occur in 2020 Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will take place after the beginning of the new year. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the lights’ activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. Hydroseeding at Spillway Reconstruction Area Prevents Erosion Areas of hillside near Oroville Dam’s reconstructed main spillway will appear bright green due to the application of a hydroseed mix for site stabilization and erosion control. The hydroseed mix helps to reestablish a root structure in the soil profile to hold it in place. Native species such as yarrow, fescue, California poppy and lupine will help to restore natural ground cover and the green-colored bonded fiber matrix will hold the mix together until the seed can germinate. Hydroseeding is one component of the Oroville Spillways Emergency Recovery Project’s site rehabilitation activities that are scheduled over the next several years. Additional hydroseed will be applied as weather permits – approximately two weeks of dry weather is required for optimal applications. All areas will be monitored throughout the winter with re-applications occurring as needed. California Experiences Many Types of Flooding – Are you Prepared? After a dry summer and fall, wet winter storms add storage to the state’s reservoirs. Yet flooding caused by heavy rains can have devastating results and without proper preparedness, lives, homes, infrastructure and agriculture are at risk of being lost. This winter, be prepared with an emergency evacuation kit, pay attention to weather forecasts and listen to local authorities. Being aware of your risk, because being prepared and taking action can help keep you and your family safe. Visit DWR’s Flood Preparedness webpage for more flood safety tips. Spillway Boat Ramp Area Holiday and Winter Access Hours The winter access schedule for Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp provides daily public access to the area from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Motorists are urged to turn on headlights and pay attention to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Walkers, joggers and bicyclists may continue to enjoy daily access on the pedestrian lane on the lakeside of Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as parking at the Upper Overlook. These access hours for Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road will remain the same through the winter months. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville reservoir is about 785 feet and storage is just over 2 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between approximately 3,415 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 7,510 cfs over the past week. A light amount of rain and snow is forecasted through the weekend and chances of additional rain and snow during the week of December 23 is also possible. Water is being released from Lake Oroville at a rate of about 3,100 cfs. Water from the reservoir is being used locally for rice decomposition and to support waterfowl habitats and is also being used to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Current releases to the Feather River were decreased from 2,500 cfs to 2,300 cfs on December 20 due to decreased water requirements downstream and for conservation. *all reservoir data as of midnight 12/19/19 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more local recreation information, head to LakeOroville.net  December 13, 2019Lake Oroville Community UpdateNotification: The California Department of Water Resources will be sending out the weekly Oroville Community Update email newsletter from a new email subscription management service starting January 1, 2020. Subscriber information previously provided to NationBuilder will be moved to the California Natural Resources Agency’s ListServe 16.0 supported by L-Soft. Subscribers who do not want their information moved to CNRA’s ListServe 16.0 can unsubscribe from receiving the Oroville Community Update by December 27, 2019. Unsubscribe from receiving the Oroville Community Update. Please email oroville@water.ca.gov if you have any questions.
Oroville Field Division Starts Controlled Burns in Lake Oroville’s McCabe cove Every spring, Oroville Field Division (OFD) maintenance crews collect floating debris carried into Lake Oroville by winter rains from the three forks of the Feather River. Logs, branches and other floating debris is secured and towed to a remote cove on the Feather River’s South Fork arm of the lake. As summer water deliveries lower lake levels, the floating debris is deposited on the shoreline. After the first rains of the season, OFD’s maintenance crews pile the logs into small piles for burning. The public is advised to use caution if visiting the area. These controlled burns will continue until all the debris is removed. Hydroseeding at Spillway Reconstruction Area Prevents Erosion Areas of the hillsides near Oroville Dam’s reconstructed main spillway will appear bright green due to the application of a hydroseed mix for site stabilization and erosion control. The hydroseed mix helps to reestablish a root structure in the soil profile to hold it in place. Native species such as yarrow, fescue, California poppy and lupine will help to restore natural ground cover and the green-colored bonded fiber matrix will hold the mix together until the seed can germinate. Hydroseeding is one component of the Oroville Spillways Emergency Recovery Project’s site rehabilitation activities that are scheduled over the next several years. California Experiences Many Types of Flooding – Are you Prepared? After a dry summer and fall, wet winter storms add storage to the state’s reservoirs. Yet flooding caused by heavy rains can have devastating results and without proper preparedness, lives, homes, infrastructure and agriculture are at risk of being lost. This winter, be prepared with an emergency evacuation kit, pay attention to weather forecasts and listen to local authorities. Being aware of your risk, because being prepared and taking action can help keep you and your family safe. Visit DWR’s Flood Preparedness Week webpage for more flood safety tips. DWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway to Occur in 2020 Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will now take place after the first of the year. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the lights’ activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. California Natural Resources Agency’s Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Public Meeting Thank you to everyone who participated in the second Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting, which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 in Oroville. A summary and transcript of the meeting will be uploaded to the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission webpage in the coming weeks. Details about the Commission’s next meeting and information about the Commission is available on the Commission webpage. Spillway Boat Ramp Area Holiday and Winter Access Hours The winter access schedule for Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp provides daily public access to the area from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Motorists are urged to turn on headlights and pay attention to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Walkers, joggers and bicyclists may continue to enjoy daily access on the pedestrian lane on the lakeside of Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as parking at the Upper Overlook. These access hours for Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road will remain the same through the winter months. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville reservoir nearly 782 feet and storage is about 1.9 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between approximately 4,890 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 11,270 cfs over the past week. Rain and snow is in the forecast for December 14 and 15 with the chance for additional rain during the week of December 16. Water is being released from Lake Oroville at a rate of about 3,300 cfs. Water from the reservoir is being used locally for rice decomposition and to support waterfowl habitats and is also being used to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. *all reservoir data as of midnight 12/12/19 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net December 6, 2019Lake Oroville Community UpdateDWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway
Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will now take place in mid-December. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the lights’ activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. California Natural Resources Agency’s Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Public Meeting Thank you to everyone who participated in the second Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting, which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 in Oroville. A summary and transcript of the meeting will be uploaded to the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission webpage in the coming weeks. Details about the Commission’s next meeting and information about the Commission is also available on the webpage. During the site visit at Oroville Dam as part of last week’s Commission meeting, DWR referenced a briefing held in May with a team of experts known as the Board of Consultants on how the main spillway performed when it was used in April 2019. A link to the recap of that briefing can found here. Spillway Boat Ramp Area Holiday and Winter Access Hours The winter access schedule for Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp provides daily public access to the area from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Motorists are urged to turn on headlights and pay attention to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Walkers, joggers and bicyclists may continue to enjoy daily access on the pedestrian lane on the lakeside of Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as parking at the Upper Overlook. These access hours for Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road will remain the same through the winter months. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville reservoir is nearly 777 feet and storage is about 1.9 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 3,100 cfs to 6,300 cfs over the past week. There is about 3 to 4 inches of precipitation projected in the Feather River basin December 6 through 8 with average inflows ranging between 4,000 cfs to 11,000 cfs. For the week of December 9, high pressure is expected to build following the anticipated storm over the weekend. Storm activity is currently being directed to the north with no forecasted precipitation expected for the Feather River watershed. The forecast also suggests the potential for weak atmospheric river activity to reach the basin between Dec. 11 – Dec. 13. DWR will continue to monitor forecasts as they evolve. The water needs from Lake Oroville are about 3,600 cfs. This includes about 1,100 cfs used locally for rice decomposition and waterfowl habitat and about 2,500 cfs to the high flow channel of the Feather River, downstream of the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, to meet Feather River flow and environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net November 27, 2019Lake Oroville Community UpdateDWR Installation of New Lighting on Main Spillway
Following manufacturer’s instructions, new lighting installed on Oroville Dam’s main spillway will remain on for a continuous 72-hour period as part of activation testing. It’s anticipated this testing period will now take place in mid-December. The public’s patience is appreciated as DWR complies with the light’s activation requirements. After testing is complete, the lights will then be used intermittently based on operational needs. California Natural Resources Agency’s Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Public Meeting Thank you to everyone who participated in the second Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting, which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 in Oroville. A summary and transcript of the meeting will be uploaded to the Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission webpage in the coming weeks. Details about the Commission’s next meeting and information about the Commission is also available on the webpage. During the site visit at Oroville Dam as part of last week’s Commission meeting, DWR referenced a briefing held in May with a team of experts known as the Board of Consultants on how the main spillway performed when it was used in April 2019. A link to the recap of that briefing can found here. Spillway Boat Ramp Area Holiday and Winter Access Hours The winter access schedule for Lake Oroville’s Spillway Boat Ramp provides daily public access to the area from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Motorists are urged to turn on headlights and pay attention to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Walkers, joggers and bicyclists may continue to enjoy daily access on the pedestrian lane on the lakeside of Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as parking at the Upper Overlook. These access hours for Dam Crest/Oroville Dam Road will remain the same through the winter months. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville reservoir is 775 feet and storage is about 1.9 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,950 cfs to 2,100 cfs over the past week. Precipitation is expected for the week of Dec. 2 in the Feather River watershed. A change in the weather is expected to begin on Monday night through Tuesday with the basin expecting between five and six inches of precipitation over the next six days. Freezing elevations will range from 4,000 to 6,500 feet enabling snow to accumulate. Beyond this week, the unsettled pattern continues with possible additional systems dropping down from the Gulf of Alaska. Water demands from Lake Oroville are about 1,700 cfs and actual releases will vary throughout the day and week based upon power generation schedules. Water from the reservoir continues to be used locally for rice decomposition and waterfowl habitat and released to meet environmental and flow requirements in the Feather River, as well as downstream in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Releases for local diversions are approximately 1,500 cfs and the scheduled releases to the high flow channel of the Feather River, downstream of the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, are 2,450 cfs. ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to oroville@water.ca.gov. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net |
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