 March 27, 2020
OFD Work Continues Oroville Field Division staff continue to carry out essential duties including operations of Oroville Dam and affiliated power plants, maintenance and monitoring activities. Following guidance from Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health, OFD has made several changes in response to the dynamic situation including social distancing, telework and increased sanitary precautions for staff. Please remember that California's water treatment process removes and kills viruses, including COVID-19. Additionally, tap water is cheaper, easily accessible and doesn't contribute to plastics pollution. Closures Update The Lake Oroville Visitors Center and Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) campgrounds remain closed to help slow the spread of the pandemic disease and protect public health and the safety of visitors, volunteers and staff of California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and the Department of Water Resources (DWR). The Feather River Fish Hatchery is also closed to the public with the viewing area near the Fish Barrier Dam remaining open. As of today, non-campground outdoor areas of LOSRA, including hiking, biking and equestrian trails and boat launches, remain open with events such as fishing tournaments cancelled or postponed. Visitors are reminded to practice social distancing and maintain at least six feet between other visitors and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Restrooms also remain open, and visitors are advised to take soap for hand washing and alcohol-based hand sanitizers when water is not available. State Parks and DWR continue to monitor the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation closely and will follow guidance provided by the Governor’s Office and public health officials. Find current information on State Parks closures or restrictions at “Flatten the Curve at State Parks”. Public access information is also available by contacting DWR at [email protected], calling DWR at (916) 653-5791 or the LOSRA headquarters at (530) 538-2200. Upper Feather River Lakes Recreational Closures The U.S. Forest Service has closed all recreation sites, including boat launch facilities and campgrounds at Frenchman Lake, Lake Davis and Antelope Lake in Plumas County from March 26 to April 30 to protect the health and safety of employees and members of the public during the COVID-19 outbreak, in accordance with guidance from federal and state authorities. Public access to developed areas, excepting trailheads, is now prohibited at these State Water Project facilities. CAL FIRE – Butte County Continues Vegetation Management Project CAL FIRE continues burning brush piles at the south end of Loafer Creek as part of their Vegetation Management Program which aims to reduce wildfire risk, improve public safety and enhance forest health around Lake Oroville. DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) contractors also thinned overstocked trees and vegetation increasing CAL FIRE’s target area to approximately 20 acres. CAL FIRE activities will take place seven days a week as weather allows. Smoke from the burn piles may be visible by area residents and motorists on State Route 162 near the Forbestown Road area. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is nearly 808 feet and storage is about 2.28 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 2,390 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,883 cfs over the past week. A chance of light precipitation is forecasted over the weekend with dry and warmer conditions beginning the week of March 30. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin, rainfall is below average, at 56 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 54 percent of normal for this time of year. Releases to the Feather River are at 1,750 cfs to conserve storage. The current release is to meet environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. At this rate, there is about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and about 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All data as of midnight 3/26/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net  March 20, 2020
DWR’s Critical Functions Continue The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues operations to maintain critical functions while modifying the way we work in the face of the coronavirus to protect our staff. Following guidance from the Governor Newsom and California Department of Public Health, DWR has made several changes in response to the dynamic situation. DWR continues to provide the state of California its core services of water delivery, flood protection, dam safety and infrastructure maintenance. Please remember that California's water treatment process removes and kill viruses, including COVID-19. Additionally, tap water is cheaper, easily accessible and doesn't contribute to plastics pollution. Closures Due to Public Health Concerns In an effort to protect public health and the safety of visitors, volunteers and staff as the state responds to the continued threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and Department of Water Resources (DWR) have temporarily closed the Lake Oroville Visitor Center on Kelly Ridge Road. State Parks has also temporarily closed all campgrounds in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) to help slow the spread of the pandemic disease. The Feather River Fish Hatchery is also closed to the public with the viewing area near the Fish Barrier Dam remaining open. The decision to close these areas are in accordance with guidance from the Governor’s Office via the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in an effort to protect our most vulnerable community members. As of today, non-campground outdoor areas of LOSRA, including trails and boat launches, remain open. Visitors are reminded to practice social distancing and maintain at least six feet between other visitors and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Restrooms also remain open, and visitors are advised to take soap for hand washing and alcohol-based hand sanitizers when water is not available. State Parks and DWR continue to monitor the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation closely and will follow any guidance provided by the Governor’s Office via the CDPH, the CDC, and Cal OES. For the latest information on public access, you can contact DWR by email at [email protected] or by calling (916) 653-5791. You may also contact LOSRA headquarters at (530) 538-2200. CAL FIRE – Butte County Resumes Vegetation Management Project With the return of wet weather, CAL FIRE has resumed burning brush piles at the south end of Loafer Creek as part of their Vegetation Management Program which aims to reduce wildfire risk, improve public safety and enhance forest health around Lake Oroville. DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) contractors also thinned overstocked trees and vegetation which increases CAL FIRE’s target area to approximately 20 acres. CAL FIRE activities will take place seven days a week as weather allows. Smoke from the burn piles may be visible by area residents and motorists on State Route 162 near the Forbestown Road area. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 806 feet and storage is nearly 2.26 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 2,273 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,655 cfs over the past week. After a couple days of dry conditions, additional rain and snow is expected beginning Sunday into the week of March 23. Up to two inches is in the forecast, with the bulk of it on Monday and Tuesday. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin, rainfall is below average, at 56 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 51 percent of normal for this time of year. Releases to the Feather River are at 1,750 cfs to conserve storage. The current release is to meet environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. At this rate, there is about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and about 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All data as of midnight 3/19/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net March 13, 2020
Contractor Completes Boat Ramp for Loafer Point Boat Ramp Project DWR contractor K.W. Emerson, Inc. has completed constructing the new three-lane boat rampat Loafer Point. The $5 million project includes construction of a 92-stall parking area with lighting, a restroom facility, three boat lanes that provide launching capabilities at lake elevations of 800 feet or higher and one boarding float lane. Parking lot and restroom facility construction continues with completion anticipated 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. The Loafer Point day use area is currently closed to the public due to construction activities, however, all other Loafer Creek recreation areas remain open. DWR and CAL FIRE Work to Reduce Fire Fuels at Loafer Creek Visitors to Loafer Creek and motorists on State Route 162 near Forbestown Road may see crews cutting and piling brush on over 30 acres targeted for fuel reduction. These activities are part of DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) and CAL FIRE’s Vegetation Management Program which aim to reduce wildfire risk, improve public safety, and enhance forest health by thinning and removing hazardous fuels and overgrown vegetation that increases the intensity of wildfires. CAL FIRE crews will return to dispose of the piles once sufficient rainfall has occurred to allow safe burning. Motorists may also encounter one-way traffic controls on State Route 162 from Arbol Avenue to 1.5 miles past Forbestown Road as Caltrans crews perform intermittent tree work for the next several weeks in the highway right-of-way. Motorists should anticipate delays. DWR Continues Installation of New Piezometers at Oroville Dam DWR contractors continue the installation of eight new piezometers at the base of the dam. These piezometers will further monitor seepage and will be used to confirm the seepage measurements DWR already collects. Seepage is normal and expected, especially in large, earthen dams like Oroville. Seepage is measured and collected through a drainage system. If seepage were to change dramatically, it would indicate an issue that would need further investigation. This work is part of the early implementation of the Oroville Dam Safety Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), which is focused on identifying priorities and appropriate solutions to bolster the integrity and resiliency of the Oroville Dam complex to ensure public safety. Work will continue for several weeks, generally between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There were 56 piezometers initially installed in the dam 50 years ago which, as anticipated, have since stopped functioning. DWR plans to install additional piezometers throughout the facility in the coming years. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 805 feet and storage is nearly 2.25 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,501 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,348 cfs over the past week. A winter storm watch will be in effect March 14-16 in the Feather River Basin. Continued low snow elevation and precipitation is projected during the week of March 16. This change in conditions is welcomed considering the recent stretch of dry weather. Approximately, three to five inches of precipitation is forecasted Saturday through Wednesday. Inflows into Lake Oroville are not expected to significantly increase over the next week because of the cold temperatures and dry conditions in the basin. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin, rainfall is below average, at 47 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 42 percent of normal for this time of year. Releases to the Feather River are at 1,750 cfs to conserve storage. The current release is to meet environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. At this rate, there is about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and about 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All data as of midnight 3/12/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net
Oroville is rich with history in its many museums. Continue reading to learn a little bit more about each of the museums.
Use the map below to head to your next favorite museum!
 This press release was provided by the City of Oroville
ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN OROVILLE’S HISTORIC DOWNTOWN OROVILLE, CA – March 11, 2020– The Oroville Botanical Gardens, Native Sons of the Golden West and the City of Oroville are partnering up to bring Oroville an Arbor Day Celebration. The Celebration will be this Saturday, March 14, 2020, in downtown Oroville at Bicentennial Park at the corner of Robinson St and Huntoon St. The Celebration will be held from 10AM to 4PM. The community-invited program will include a welcome from Mayor, Chuck Reynolds, information about Arbor Day, The Tree City USA Flag will be presented by a representative from Cal-Fire. There will be a tree planting demonstration and educational discussions. The celebration will include lots of actives for kids including aerial lift demonstrations, a bounce house, vendor booths and a special appearance by the TreeCircus. The City of Oroville, for the fortieth consecutive year has been recognized and honored by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a “Tree City USA.” The City is proud to have over 10,000 trees which provide shade in the summer and beautiful blooms in the springtime. The City Parks & Trees Department follows a maintenance and replacement plan to insure proper care of all trees. The Tree City USA Program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters. A community must meet four standards to be considered. The standards include a comprehensive community forestry program, a tree care ordinance, a tree board or department, and an Arbor Day observance. Arbor Day traces its roots back to 1872 when Sterling Morton, Secretary of Agriculture under President Cleveland, began the program. As the program continued, it took on a new educational character by including teachers and students. Not only does the celebration provide a beautification aspect, but it contributes to a learning environment for historical events, celebrated persons and the study of trees. Forty-four states and territories now celebrate Arbor Day with hundreds of thousands of acres of trees planted by human hands. Trees are widely appreciated for their bountiful produce and the beauty they contribute to our environment. They provide many conservation benefits as well, such as: tree roots grip and hold topsoil which slows runoff reducing erosion and water pollution; leafy tree canopies conserve moisture, slow the wind, keep the air clean, help quiet loud traffic noises, and provide shade from the hot sun while creating a welcome home for birds and wildlife. Poet Joyce Kilmer perhaps said it best, “I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree...” -XXX- For Immediate Release Press Release Contact: Jordan Daley City of Oroville (530) 538-2518 [email protected] Lake Oroville Community Update
March 6, 2020 DWR and CAL FIRE Work to Reduce Fire Fuels at Loafer Creek Visitors to Loafer Creek and motorists on State Route 162 near Forbestown Road may see crews cutting and piling brush on over 30 acres targeted for fuel reduction. These activities are part of DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan (FLMP) and CAL FIRE’s Vegetation Management Program which aim to reduce wildfire risk, improve public safety, and enhance forest health by thinning and removing hazardous fuels and overgrown vegetation that increases the intensity of wildfires. CAL FIRE crews will return to dispose of the piles once sufficient rainfall has occurred to allow safe burning. Motorists will also encounter one-way traffic controls on State Route 162 from Arbol Avenue to 1.5 miles past Forbestown Road as Caltrans crews perform tree work for the next several weeks in the highway right-of-way. Motorists should anticipate delays. DWR Continues Installation of New Piezometers at Oroville Dam DWR contractors continue installation of eight new piezometers at the base of the dam. These piezometers will further monitor seepage and will be used to confirm the seepage measurements DWR already collects. Seepage is normal and expected, especially in large, earthen dams like Oroville. Seepage is measured and collected through a drainage system. If seepage were to change dramatically, it would indicate an issue that would need further investigation. This work is part of the early implementation of the Oroville Dam Safety Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), which is focused on identifying priorities and appropriate solutions to bolster the integrity and resiliency of the Oroville Dam complex to ensure public safety. Work will continue for several weeks, generally between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There were 56 piezometers initially installed in the dam fifty years ago which, as anticipated, have since stopped functioning. DWR plans to install additional piezometers throughout the facility in the coming years. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 805 feet and storage is nearly 2.25 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,759 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,022 cfs over the past week. During the week of March 9, there continues to be a chance of light precipitation. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin, rainfall is below average, at 48 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 44 percent of normal for this time of year. On March 5 through March 7, releases to the Feather River were reduced from 2,250 cfs to 1,750 cfs to conserve storage in the reservoir in case of continued dry weather. The current release is to meet environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. At this rate, there is about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and about 950 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All data as of midnight 3/5/20 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net. February 28, 2020Lake Oroville Community UpdateDWR Begins Installation of New Piezometers at Oroville Dam
Next week DWR will install eight new piezometers at the base of the dam. These piezometers will further monitor seepage and will be used to confirm the seepage measurements DWR already collects. Seepage is normal and expected, especially in large, earthen dams like Oroville. Seepage is measured and collected through a drainage system. If seepage were to dramatically change, it would indicate an issue that would need further investigation. This work is part of early implementation of the Oroville Dam Safety Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), which is focused on identifying priorities and appropriate solutions to bolster the integrity and resiliency of the Oroville Dam complex to ensure public safety. Work will begin on March 2, 2020 and will continue for several weeks, generally between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There were 56 piezometers originally installed in the dam fifty years ago which, as anticipated, have since stopped functioning. DWR plans to install additional piezometers throughout the facility in the coming years. DWR Collaborates to Seek Information on Atmospheric Rivers’ Impact on California’s Reservoirs State and federal lawmakers have invested millions of dollars in a DWR program to research atmospheric rivers, mitigation and climate forecasting to increase knowledge about these massive streams of water vapor and wind that drop up to half of California’s yearly precipitation. DWR is collaborating with U.C. San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Yuba-Sutter Water Agency in a Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) program to incorporate weather and water forecasts into reservoir operations decision-making. Information about the FIRO program can be found here. Additional information about how “hurricane hunter” planes are assisting the effort was highlighted in a recent CalMatters article. California Natural Resources Agency Hosts Third Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission Public Meeting Thank you to everyone who participated in the third Oroville Dam Citizens Advisory Commission meeting, which took place on Friday, February 21 in Oroville. A representative of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers discussed USACE’s role in flood management, the water control manual for Oroville Dam, and the water control manual update process. 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 more information about the commission can be found here: https://resources.ca.gov/oroville-dam-citizens-advisory-commission/ . PG&E Removes Trees Deemed Hazardous to Powerlines Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) contractors will be working on DWR property near Lakeland Road to remove trees presenting a hazard to powerlines in the area. Work activities will continue near the Thermalito Diversion Pool through the end of February. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 805 feet and storage is 2.25 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,556 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,502 cfs over the past week. Dry conditions are forecasted this weekend and into the week of March 2. Currently, in the Northern Sierra Basin, rainfall is below average, at 50 percent of normal, and snowpack is also below average, measuring 51 percent of normal for this time of year. Releases to the Feather River are at 2,250 cfs to meet environmental requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. There is about 800 cfs flowing through the City of Oroville and 1,450 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. All data as of midnight 2/27/20 *Note: Starting March 6, 2020, DWR will use the email marketing platform Constant Contact to send out the Lake Oroville Community Update. If you wish to unsubscribe from receiving this update, please email [email protected]. ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. For more information on local recreation, head to LakeOroville.net. |
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