Lake Oroville Community Update

Vegetation Management Activities

DWR and CAL FIRE have resumed vegetation management activities in the Loafer Creek Recreation Area. CAL FIRE hand crews and heavy equipment operators will be working throughout Loafer Creek and along HWY 162 (Oro Quincy Highway) for the next several months. Smoke from pile burning activities will be visible in the Oroville area. The goal of this project is to remove overgrown ladder fuels, dead and dying vegetation, and minimize ground fuels to create a more wildfire resilient landscape.

DWR’s Fuel Load Management Plan works to reduce wildfire risk, increase public safety, and enhance forest health around the Lake Oroville area. Ongoing vegetation management of this critical area remains a high priority for DWR and its partners at CAL FIRE, Butte County Fire Department, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, California Conservation Corps (CCC), California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), and the Butte County Fire Safe Council. Vegetation management activities are ramping up for the season and will continue through Spring 2024 as weather conditions permit and crews are available.

California Water Plan 2023

From severe, multi-year droughts to sudden flooding, California is experiencing the intensifying impacts of climate change. To better prepare and plan for a future with climate extremes, DWR has released the Public Review Draft of California Water Plan Update 2023.

For decades, the California Water Plan has served and evolved as a strategic blueprint for managing and developing the state's water resources. This comprehensive plan is meant to guide water managers, including water districts, cities, counties, and Tribal communities. Every five years the California Water Plan is updated, as mandated by the State Water Code, to reflect current water conditions and State government priorities. These updates are shaped by various factors, including the Water Resilience Portfolio, input from interested parties, state needs, and the Governor's commitment to climate action, as demonstrated in California's Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future.

Public comments on the Draft California Water Plan Update 2023 are being accepted through Oct. 19, 2023. Comments may be submitted through an online form or to CWPCOM@water.ca.gov.

New Spillway Day Use Area Hours

With the end of summer and shorter daylight hours approaching, the Spillway Day Use Area has reduced hours. The Spillway Day Use Area and Boat Ramp is now open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. These reduced hours will remain in effect through April 30, 2024. Vehicles may remain in the parking lot overnight but will be prohibited from exiting. 

All vehicles and trailers heading to the Spillway Day Use Area are subject to inspection by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) for security purposes. There are three other boat ramps at Lake Oroville that are open 24 hours a day and do not entail CHP inspections: Bidwell Canyon, Loafer Point, and Lime Saddle.

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