Lake Oroville Flows Increased to Assist in Spring Salmon Releases

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has temporarily raised the release of water from Lake Oroville to the Feather River to support spring fish planting operations. The flow into the Feather River will increase to 10,500 cubic feet per second (cfs), with 4,000 cfs channeled through the low-flow area within the City of Oroville.

This temporary boost in water flow aims to enhance the survival rates of spring-run Chinook salmon during their migration from the Feather River to the ocean. The DWR, in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), is also planting pre-smolt fall-run Chinook salmon to mitigate the impact of drought on the fall-run Chinook salmon population.

The release of water from the Feather River is closely coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and downstream water operators. The DWR is also diligently monitoring lake inflow levels resulting from spring snowmelt and will modify releases as needed.