Lake Oroville Update - August 14, 2026

Biking Around Lake Oroville

With more than 70 miles of biking-designated trails throughout the Lake Oroville Recreation and Oroville Wildlife Areas, cyclists have a variety of trails and experiences to choose from. The Brad Freeman Trail loops throughout both recreation areas offering a 41-mile trek from the Oroville Dam Spillway area, past the Thermalito Diversion Pool, around the Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay, and through the remote Oroville Wildlife Area. Along the west side of Lake Oroville, the Potter's Ravine system is a 15-mile trail with intermittent views of Lake Oroville. Cyclists can also bike another 8 miles from Potter's Ravine along the North Fork Trail to the Bloomer Cove area showcasing the north fork arm of Lake Oroville. Those seeking a shorter trip may also bike from the Lake Oroville Visitor Center down to the Bidwell Canyon Saddle Dam, offering spectacular views of Lake Oroville during the ride.

Oroville-Area School Tours

Back to school season is here with young minds ready to grow in their knowledge of local history and ecosystems. Fortunately, DWR offers free tours and educational programs for students throughout the region.

Lake Oroville Visitor Center guides are currently booking free school tours of the Feather River Fish Hatchery for the fall spawning season. View salmon spawning activities in action, feed fish in the rearing raceways, and learn about the Chinook salmon lifecycle and the importance of the Hatchery in supporting salmon populations in the Feather River and ocean. School tours of the Hatchery are available by reservation. Contact the Lake Oroville Visitor Center at (530) 538-2219 or (530) 534-2306.

Also tour the Lake Oroville Visitor Center featuring interpretive displays on Oroville Dam, area geology, wildlife and habitat, hydroelectric power, and cultural and historical artifacts. View videos in the theater about the construction of Oroville Dam, walk or hike along nearby trails, and visit the 47-foot-tall observation tower that provides unsurpassed panoramic views of surrounding areas. The Lake Oroville Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free parking and admission.

Enterprise Boat Ramp Closed

The California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) has closed the Enterprise boat ramp due to lowering lake levels. As a multi-benefit reservoir, water levels at Lake Oroville fluctuate throughout the year to meet water delivery contracts and support Delta and Central Valley River habitats.

Alternate locations for trailered launching at Lake Oroville include the Spillway, Loafer Creek/Loafer Point, Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle. Check the status of Lake Oroville boat and cartop ramps on the State Parks website.

Feather River Fish Monitoring Station

DWR resumed operations of the Feather River fish monitoring station on March 4, 2026, to capture the return of spring-run Chinook salmon. Monitoring was temporarily suspended at the end of December 2025 due to anticipated high flows in the Feather River. Upstream migrating fish totals between March 4 and August 8, 2026, are:

• Spring-run Chinook salmon (March 4 through June 30): 8,512
• Fall-run Chinook salmon (July 1 through present): 2,224
• Steelhead: -5 (most likely kelts moving downstream)
• To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 814 feet elevation and storage is approximately 2.27 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 66 percent of its total capacity and 102 percent of the historical average.

Feather River flows are at 850 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville with releases from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet at 7,150 cfs for a total Feather River release of 8,000 cfs downstream. DWR continues to assess Feather River releases daily.

The public can track precipitation, snow, reservoir levels, and more at the California Data Exchange Center. The Lake Oroville gage station is identified as "ORO."

All data as of 11:59 p.m. on 8/13/2026.