A drone provides an aerial view of the California Department of Water Resources first 2024 water release from the Lake Oroville flood control gates down the 3,000-foot main spillway in Butte County, California. Photo courtesy of DWR

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) - The Department of Water Resources (DWR) began releasing water from Oroville Damʼs main spillway at 8 a.m. on January 31. Releases to the Feather River ensure storage space remains in Lake Oroville for flood control protection. DWR coordinates releases closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other water operators and adjusts releases as needed to account for continuing rain and snowmelt.

Digital photos and b-roll from the spillway release are available on Pixel and Box.

The information below reflects current reservoir level estimates. Forecasts can change quickly and may affect the estimates provided.

-Current Oroville Reservoir Level: 842 feet elevation
-Current Storage Capacity: 76 percent
Total Releases to the Feather River: 12,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)

Total releases to the Feather River amount to 12,000 cfs with 650 cfs being routed down the low-flow channel through the City of Oroville. An additional 11,350 cfs is being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet, located 5 miles downstream from Oroville. Feather River recreation users are advised to remain alert as river flows are expected to be swift and cold and may change based on projected weather forecasts. 

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. In 2023, Oroville Damʼs main spillway passed over 2,370,000 acre-feet of water, 67 percent of Lake Orovilleʼs capacity, with flows as high as 36,000 cfs. The main spillway continues to perform well and operate as designed. DWR continues to monitor lake levels, weather forecasts, and mountain snow levels to optimize water storage while allowing for carryover storage into next year.