  September 25, 2020 Bear/North Complex Fire Impacts Oroville Firefighters are gaining traction against Butte County’s Bear Fire, called “North Complex – West Zone Fire”. Severely damaging communities around Lake Oroville, including several Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) facilities, the fire is now 73 percent contained with over 84,000 acres burned as of Friday, Sept. 25. Locations along the North Fork of Lake Oroville, as well as areas on the South Fork remain active fire zones. The Bidwell Canyon Marina and Lime Saddle Marina have not sustained damage and there are currently no risks to Oroville Dam or its related structures. Due to continuing fire behavior, many LOSRA facilities are currently closed. (See more recreation information below.) The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues to monitor the fire’s status and is actively working with CALFIRE, local law enforcement partners, and California State Parks (CA Parks) staff to ensure employee and public safety. CA Parks staff are providing support to firefighters by boat from Lake Oroville, and a camp for fire support has been established at the Loafer Creek recreation area – which is still closed to the public. DWR’s water delivery and other critical operations are ongoing with essential staff on site. Photo: A smoky haze sits over the Bidwell Bar Bridge near Lake Oroville’s Bidwell Canyon Marina - courtesy S. McReynolds Oroville Recreation Closures Update Due to fire impacts and continued danger to the public from the North Complex – West Zone fire, many Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) facilities are closed until further notice, including boat launches, day use areas, and trails. The Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle marinas are open only for houseboat owners who may access their houseboats with proof of ownership. No overnight houseboat stays or boating is allowed on Lake Oroville. Current status of openings and closings can be found on the CA Parks LOSRA webpage. Oroville Dam Crest Road across the top of Oroville Dam is open to bicyclists and pedestrians. Although the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area are closed, the newly opened Brad Freeman Trail down to the Thermalito Diversion Pool may be accessed from the new gravel parking lot at the north side of the Spillway Day Use Area. The Diversion Pool is now open to non-motorized watercraft. All other trails around Lake Oroville are currently closed. The Dan Beebe Trail on the south side of the Diversion Pool; the North and South Forebay Recreation Areas; and the Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area are all open. The Forebay Aquatic Center at the North Forebay is temporarily closed but has scheduled kayak floats to view salmon spawning in the Feather River (see information below). The Oroville Wildlife Area, including the Thermalito Afterbay, remains open from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Current recreation facility information can be found on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage, CA Parks LOSRA webpage, and the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife webpage. See below for information about the Feather River Fish Hatchery.  Chinook Salmon Return to the Feather River
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery opened the fish ladder on Sept. 14 to begin hatchery spawning operations which enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released to the river every spring. To protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hatchery will not be open for tours this year. Visitors can still enjoy seeing salmon climb the fish ladder at the Viewing Area near the Feather River’s Fish Diversion Dam north of the Hatchery. Oroville’s annual Salmon Festival has been scaled down to protect public health with only a few activities scheduled, including kayak ‘floats’ organized by the Forebay Aquatic Center to watch salmon in the Feather River Sept. 26 and Sept. 27. Information about the Festival, and a link to sign up for the kayak ‘floats’, can be found on the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce website. Photo: Children watch salmon swim up the fish ladder at the Feather River Fish Hatchery's viewing window Learn all about Salmon – DWR’s Water Wednesdays The Feather River Fish Hatchery is closed, but you can still learn about salmon through DWR’s Water Wednesdays program on DWR’s YouTube channel. These family-friendly programs are designed for kids 10 to 14 but are appropriate for anyone who would like to learn more about California’s water resources. The recent five-part series took a look at the lifecycle of the Chinook salmon that spawn in the Feather River, travel downriver, through the Delta, and finally to the ocean. The episodes are live, allowing participants who have signed up on Zoom to ask real time questions of the speaker. Visit the DWR Events webpage at https://water.ca.gov/News/Events to join or register for next Wednesday’s chat which starts a series on flood preparedness. Information will also be posted on DWR’s social media pages at @CA_DWR (Twitter) and @CADWR (Facebook). Water Wednesdays began in May 2020 and previous episodes are available on DWR’s YouTube channel – enter Water Wednesdays in the search bar. Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Improvement Project The Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Stage Two Improvement Project temporarily halted due to the North Complex – West Zone fire, is back underway, and will continue as long as air quality and lake levels allow. Kelly Ridge and Arroyo Drive residents can expect to see large construction equipment, as well as rock and concrete deliveries, in the area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays as the contractor works to complete the project by mid-November. As lake levels decrease, this construction continues a project that started in Fall 2018 to expand the Stage Two parking area and provide two additional Stage Two boat ramp lanes to 700 feet. In February of 2019, construction was halted due to rising lake levels, but not before completion of a new lower-level, concrete parking lot, expansion of Bidwell Canyon’s mid-level boat launch from three to five lanes, and the addition of two boarding float lanes. Construction also improved the vertical curve at the top of the boat ramp to accommodate larger trailers. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 747 feet and storage is about 1.65 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,560 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,898 over the past week. Temperatures will increase to the low 100s this weekend and early next week but are forecasted to drop to the mid- to upper-90s in the middle of the week. The Northern Sierra Basin rainfall totals remains below average for the year, at 62 percent of normal. The total releases to Feather River continue at 2,600 cfs to meet downstream Bay-Delta water quality and flow standards. The Feather River flows consist of 800 cfs through the Low Flow Channel adjacent to the City of Oroville, and 1,800 cfs from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet for a total of 2,600 cfs for the Feather River’s high flow channel downstream of the Outlet. All data as of midnight 9/25/2020 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected].   September 18, 2020 Bear/North Complex Fire Impacts Oroville Butte County’s Bear Fire, now named “North Complex – West Zone Fire”, has burned over 78,000 acres with 43 percent containment as of Friday, Sept. 18. The fire has severely damaged communities around Lake Oroville, including several Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) facilities. Locations along the North Fork of Lake Oroville, as well as areas on the Middle and South Forks remain an active fire zones. The Bidwell Canyon Marina and Lime Saddle Marina have not sustained damage and there are currently no risks to Oroville Dam or its related structures. Due to continuing fire behavior, many LOSRA facilities are currently closed. (See more recreation information below.) The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues to monitor the fire’s status and is actively working with CALFIRE, local law enforcement partners, and California State Parks (CA Parks) staff to ensure employee and public safety. CA Parks staff are providing support to firefighters by boat from Lake Oroville, and a camp for fire support has been established at the Loafer Creek recreation area – which is still closed to the public. DWR’s water delivery and other critical operations are ongoing with essential staff on site. Photo: Firefighter staging area at Lime Saddle Recreation Area at Lake Oroville North Fork's West Branch of the Feather River. Oroville Recreation Closures Update Due to fire impacts and continued danger to the public from the North Complex – West Zone fire, many Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) facilities are closed until further notice, including boat launches, day use areas, and trails. The Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle marinas are open only for houseboat owners who may access their houseboats with proof of ownership. No overnight houseboat stays or boating is allowed on Lake Oroville. Oroville Dam Crest Road across the top of Oroville Dam is open to bicyclists and pedestrians. Although the Spillway Boat Ramp and Day Use Area are closed, the newly opened Brad Freeman Trail down to the Thermalito Diversion Pool may be accessed from the new gravel parking lot at the north side of the Spillway Day Use Area. The Diversion Pool is now open to non-motorized watercraft. All other trails around Lake Oroville are currently closed. The Dan Beebe Trail on the south side of the Diversion Pool; the North and South Forebay Recreation Areas; and the Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area are all open. The Forebay Aquatic Center at the North Forebay is temporarily closed. The Oroville Wildlife Area, including the Thermalito Afterbay, remains open from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Current recreation facility information can be found on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage, CA Parks LOSRA webpage, and the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife webpage. See below for information about the Feather River Fish Hatchery.  Chinook Salmon Return to the Feather River
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery opened the fish ladder on Sept. 14 to begin hatchery spawning operations which enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released to the river every spring. In order to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hatchery will not be open for tours this year. Visitors can still enjoy seeing salmon climb the fish ladder at the Viewing Area near the Feather River’s Fish Diversion Dam north of the Hatchery. Oroville’s annual Salmon Festival has been scaled down to protect public health with only a few activities scheduled, including kayak ‘floats’ organized by the Forebay Aquatic Center to watch salmon in the Feather River Sept. 26 and Sept. 27. Information about the Festival, and a link to sign up for the kayak ‘floats’, can be found on the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce website. Learn all about Salmon – DWR’s Water Wednesdays The Feather River Fish Hatchery is closed but you can still learn about salmon this month through DWR’s Water Wednesdays program at 1 p.m. on DWR’s YouTube channel. These family-friendly programs are designed for kids 10 to 14 but are appropriate for anyone who would like to learn more about California’s water resources. The fall season began Aug. 26 with a five-part look at the lifecycle of the Chinook salmon that spawn in the Feather River, travel downriver, through the Delta, and finally to the ocean. Interested participants can pre-register through Zoom which will allow them to ask real time questions of the speaker. Visit the DWR Events webpage at https://water.ca.gov/News/Events to join or register for next Wednesday’s chat. Information will also be posted on DWR’s social media pages at @CA_DWR (Twitter) and @CADWR (Facebook). Water Wednesdays began in May 2020 and previous episodes are available on DWR’s YouTube channel – enter Water Wednesdays in the search bar. Diversion Pool Trails and Area Roadways to Close for Utility Work Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) crews are scheduled to remove three conductors from the Caribou-Palermo 115KV transmission line that crosses the Thermalito Diversion Pool Sept.18 through Sept. 25. Visitors and area residents will see helicopter activity in the area during conductor removal. Portions of the Brad Freeman Trail north and south of the Thermalito Diversion Pool; the Dan Beebe Trail; and areas around the trailhead on Lakeland Boulevard on the south side of the Diversion Pool will close for various periods Sept. 18 to Sept. 25. Traffic on Lakeland Boulevard west of Reyman Street will also experience temporary delays when work is occurring on the conductors crossing the road. Signage regarding upcoming work will be posted on area trails in advance of closures. Visitors are reminded to be safe and obey access restrictions. Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Improvement Project The Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Stage Two Improvement Project was temporarily halted due to the North Complex – West Zone fire. The project plans to resume work in the upcoming week. Kelly Ridge and Arroyo Drive residents can expect to see large construction equipment, as well as rock and concrete deliveries, in the area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays as the contractor works to complete the project by mid-November. This is a continuation of a project that started in Fall 2018 to expand the Stage Two parking area and provide two additional Stage Two boat ramp lanes to 700 feet. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 749 feet and storage is about 1.67 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,963 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,653 over the past week. Temperatures continue to be relatively moderate into the week of Sept. 21 as the temperatures are forecast to be in the 80s. The Northern Sierra Basin rainfall totals remains below average for the year, at 62 percent of normal. The total releases to Feather River continue at 2,100 cfs to meet downstream Bay-Delta water quality and flow standards. The Feather River flows consist of 800 cfs through the Low Flow Channel adjacent to the City of Oroville, and 1,300 cfs from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet for a total of 2,100 cfs for the Feather River’s high flow channel downstream of the Outlet. All data as of midnight 9/17/2020 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected].  September 11, 2020 Bear/North Complex Fire Impacts Oroville The Bear Fire, ignited by lightning strikes on Aug. 17, swelled into a fire storm on Tuesday, Sept. 8 with the onset of an intense wind event. As it merged with another lightning-sparked fire near Quincy, it became known as the North Complex Fire. The Butte County “Bear Fire” portion, now named “the North Complex’s West Zone”, has burned over 70,000 acres with five percent containment as of Friday, Sept. 11. The fire has severely damaged communities around Lake Oroville, including several Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) facilities. The Loafer Creek recreation area remains an active fire zone as do areas around the Enterprise Boat Ramp, Foreman Creek and other locations along the Middle and North Forks of Lake Oroville. The Bidwell Canyon Marina and Lime Saddle Marina have not sustained damage and there are currently no risks to Oroville Dam or its related structures. Due to continuing fire behavior, all LOSRA facilities are currently closed. (See more recreation information below) The Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues to monitor the fire’s status and is actively working with CALFIRE, local law enforcement partners, and California State Parks staff to ensure employee and public safety. DWR’s water delivery and other critical operations are ongoing with essential staff on site. Oroville Recreation Closures Update Due to fire impacts and continued danger to the public from the North Complex – West Zone fire, all Lake Oroville State Recreation Area facilities are closed until further notice, including the North Forebay and Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area. The Oroville Wildlife Area, including the Thermalito Afterbay remain open from 1.5 hours before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Current recreation facility information can be found on DWR’s Lake Oroville Recreation webpage and the LOSRA webpage. See below for information about the Feather River Fish Hatchery.  Chinook Salmon Return to the Feather River
Chinook salmon are completing their life cycle and returning home to the Feather River to lay eggs for the next generation of salmon. The Feather River Fish Hatchery plans to open up the fish ladder the week of Sept. 14 to begin hatchery spawning operations which enables millions of Chinook salmon to be released to the river every spring. In order to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hatchery will not be open for tours this year. Visitors can still enjoy seeing salmon climb the fish ladder at the Viewing Area near the Feather River’s Fish Diversion Dam north of the Hatchery. Oroville’s annual Salmon Festival has been scaled down to protect public health with only a few activities scheduled. Information about the Festival can be found on the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce website. Learn all about Salmon – DWR’s Water Wednesdays The Feather River Fish Hatchery is closed but you can still learn about salmon this month through DWR’s Water Wednesdays program at 1 p.m. on DWR’s YouTube channel. These family-friendly programs are designed for kids 10 to 14 but are appropriate for anyone who would like to learn more about California’s water resources. The fall season began Aug. 26 with a five-part look at the lifecycle of the Chinook salmon that spawn in the Feather River, travel downriver, through the Delta, and finally to the ocean. Interested participants can pre-register through Zoom which will allow them to ask real time questions of the speaker. Visit the DWR Events webpage at https://water.ca.gov/News/Events to join or register for next Wednesday’s chat. Information will also be posted on DWR’s social media pages at @CA_DWR (Twitter) and @CADWR (Facebook). Water Wednesdays began in May 2020 and previous episodes are available on DWR’s YouTube channel – enter Water Wednesdays in the search bar. Area Projects Postponed Due to Fire The Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Stage Two Improvement Project to continue on a project that started in Fall 2018 to expand the Stage Two parking area and provide two additional Stage Two boat ramp lanes to 700 feet has been halted due to the North Complex – West Zone fire. The Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) project to remove three conductors from the Caribou-Palermo 115KV transmission line that crosses the Thermalito Diversion Pool, previously scheduled Sept. 8 through Sept. 16 has also been postponed due to the North Complex – West Zone fire. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 749 feet and storage is about 1.67 million acre-feet. Continued reprieve from the extreme heat is expected into the week of Sept. 14 where temperatures are forecasted in the low 90s and dropping into the 80s later in the week. The Northern Sierra Basin rainfall totals remains below average for the year, at 62 percent of normal. The total releases to Feather River continue at 2,100 cfs to meet downstream Bay-Delta water quality and flow standards. The Feather River flows consist of 800 cfs through the Low Flow Channel adjacent to the City of Oroville, and 1,300 cfs from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet for a total of 2,100 cfs for the Feather River’s high flow channel downstream of the Outlet. All data as of midnight 9/10/2020 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected].  September 4, 2020 Oroville Recreation Update Oroville area recreation facilities are expected to be popular destinations for the Labor Day holiday. With the exception of the Potters Ravine trail complex near the Oroville Dam Spillway Boat Ramp area (damaged in last month’s Potters Fire), all Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) boat ramps, parking lots, and day use areas are open, including North and South Forebay facilities. The Oroville Dam Spillway Boat Ramp and day use area is open for use 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The Potters Ravine and North Fork trail complex experienced significant damage from the Potters Fire and will be closed through the winter for rehabilitation work. The recent Potters Fire burned over 900 acres, including areas adjacent to Oroville Dam’s main and emergency spillways, the Spillway Boat Ramp area, and the Thermalito Diversion Pool. California State Parks (CA Parks) has completed repairs to fire-damaged areas on the Thermalito Diversion Pool’s Brad Freeman Trail between Burma Road and the Spillway Boat Ramp trailhead. Bikers and hikers are now able to enjoy this challenging trail with its spectacular views of the valley. The Dan Beebe and Lakeland trails on the south side of the Diversion Pool are also open for use and the Diversion Pool’s car-top boat launch is open for non-motorized boating. Information about and current status of Lake Oroville recreation facilities is available on the Department of Water Resources (DWR) Lake Oroville Recreation webpage and on the LOSRA webpage. The Lake Oroville Visitors Center remains closed and boat-in, floating, and group campsites are not currently available to reduce the spread of COVID-19. For information about available State Parks camping, as well as COVID-19 public health requirements while recreating, visit www.parks.ca.gov/COVID19Camping. Diversion Pool Trails and Area Roadways to Close for Utility Work Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) crews are scheduled to remove three conductors from the Caribou-Palermo 115KV transmission line that crosses the Thermalito Diversion Pool Sept. 8 through Sept. 16. Boating activity on the Diversion Pool will be restricted by in-water control boats on Sept. 9. Visitors and area residents will also see helicopter activity in the area during conductor removal. Portions of the Brad Freeman Trail north and south of the Thermalito Diversion Pool, and the Dan Beebe Trail, and areas around the trailhead on Lakeland Boulevard on the south side of the Diversion Pool will also close for various periods Sept. 10 to Sept. 16. Traffic on Lakeland Boulevard west of Reyman Street will experience temporary delays when work is occurring on the conductors crossing the road. Signage regarding upcoming work will be posted on area trails in advance of closures. Visitors are reminded to be safe and obey access restrictions. Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Work to Resume in September The Bidwell Canyon Boat Ramp Stage Two Improvement Project’s contractor started mobilizing on Sept. 1 and will begin work in the next couple of weeks depending on Lake Oroville elevation. Work will not occur over the Labor Day weekend. As lake levels decrease, construction will continue on a project that started in Fall 2018 to expand the Stage Two parking area and provide two additional Stage Two boat ramp lanes to 700 feet. Construction was halted in February 2019 due to rising lake levels. Kelly Ridge and Arroyo Drive residents can expect to see large construction equipment, as well as rock and concrete deliveries, in the area beginning early September from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays as the contractor works to complete the project by mid-November. Last year, the Stage Two project constructed a new lower-level, concrete parking lot, expanded Bidwell Canyon’s mid-level boat launch from three to five lanes, and added two boarding float lanes. Construction also improved the vertical curve at the top of the boat ramp to accommodate larger trailers.  Oroville Area Algal Blooms Status
DWR’s Oroville Field Division has concluded recreational swim beach cyanotoxin monitoring this week. Monitoring for cyanotoxins at the Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay occurs weekly from Memorial Day to Labor Day. DWR’s Environmental Scientists will continue to assess any reported algal blooms as visitors continue to enjoy these recreation areas. At Lake Oroville, harmful algal blooms (HAB’s) continue to be present in many locations and DWR’s Environmental Scientists will continue to monitor these blooms until they dissipate. If elevated levels of cyanotoxins are found, staff will work with California’s Regional Water Quality Control Board and recreation area managers to notify the public and post advisory signs at the affected waterbody. At this time there are no advisories in place. How can you keep yourself, your family, and your pets safe from HAB’s? Visit the Water Board’s website and DWR’s digital article on the DWR Updates webpage. The public is encouraged to report algal blooms on the HAB reporting webpage. Learn All About Salmon Join us for Water Wednesdays at 1 p.m. on DWR’s YouTube channel and learn all about salmon over the next few weeks. These family-friendly programs are designed for kids 10 to 14 but are appropriate for anyone who would like to learn more about California’s water resources. The fall season began Aug. 26 with a five-part look at the lifecycle of the Chinook salmon that spawn in the Feather River, travel downriver, through the Delta, and finally to the ocean. Interested participants can pre-register through Zoom which will allow them to ask real time questions of the speaker. Visit the DWR Events webpage at https://water.ca.gov/News/Events to join or register for next Wednesday’s chat. Information will also be posted on DWR’s social media pages at @CA_DWR (Twitter) and @CADWR (Facebook). Water Wednesdays began in May 2020 and previous episodes are available on DWR’s YouTube channel – enter Water Wednesdays in the search bar. Current Lake Operations The elevation of Oroville’s reservoir is about 751 feet and storage is about 1.68 million acre-feet. Daily average inflows to the lake have ranged between 1,354 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 2,442 over the past week. High temperatures will continue into the week of September 7. The Northern Sierra Basin rainfall totals remains below average for the year, at 63 percent of normal. The total releases to Feather River are 2,100 cfs to meet downstream Bay-Delta water quality and flow standards. Flows through the City of Oroville are about 950 cfs. Currently, flows from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet (Outlet) are about 1,150 cfs for a total of 2,100 cfs for the Feather River’s high flow channel downstream of the Outlet. Generating additional hydroelectric power to address increased energy demands due to the heat wave may result in increased river flows over the Labor Day weekend. During the week of September 7, total flows to the Feather River will be reduced from 2,100 cfs to 1,950 cfs to conserve storage. After this decrease, flows through the City of Oroville will be 800 cfs and 1,150 cfs will be from the Outlet for a total of 1,950 cfs to the Feather River below the Outlet. All data as of midnight 9/3/2020 ### Know someone who would like to receive Community Updates? They can email their request to [email protected]. |
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