Lake Oroville Update - July 3, 2026

Wildlife Safety at State Recreation Areas

The California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and Department of Water Resources (DWR) are reminding visitors to be aware while enjoying the beautiful resources the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area (LOSRA) has to offer. While LOSRA offers overnight camping opportunities and miles of recreation trails, it is also an area where wildlife, including bears, live.

Resident wildlife species around Lake Oroville include mountain lions, raccoons, turkeys, opossums, coyotes, tree and ground squirrels, rabbits, deer, skunks, ringtails, bears, and many kinds of native birds. Remember to admire from afar when viewing wildlife. Wildlife can be viewed from a distance using binoculars, spotting scopes, or the zoom function on a camera. Keep hands and snacks to yourself as eating human foods can make animals sick or malnourished. In addition, animals who are continually fed can lose their fear of humans and become aggressive.

Visitors should remain vigilant and know how to respond if they encounter a bear. Stay calm, pick up small children, never approach bear cubs, make yourself appear as large as possible, and slowly back away while giving the bear plenty of space. Never run, as running may trigger a bear's natural chase instinct. Store all food and scented items in locked vehicles or bear-resistant containers to help keep both people and wildlife safe. For more bear safety tips, visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's (CDFW) website.

State Parks also reminds visitors that dogs are not allowed on most trails and day-use areas within LOSRA. When in an area that does permit dogs, they must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and always remain under the immediate control of a person.

Free Fishing Day

If you are new to the sport of fishing, and not sure if you will enjoy it, CDFW is offering a free fishing day this Saturday, July 4. While all fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect, the upcoming free fishing day allows anyone to fish without purchasing a fishing license. Free Fishing Days provide a great way to give fishing a try.

Lake Oroville is one of the State Water Project's premier recreational destinations and one of California's best fishing spots. The lake provides both warm-water and cold-water fisheries. Below the Oroville Dam, the Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay and the Feather River offer additional excellent fishing opportunities for Chinook salmon and steelhead. The marinas at Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle are open daily and provide a variety of services including gas, boat rentals, a convenience store, and more.

More information about CDFW's free fishing day is available on their website.

Fourth of July in Oroville

Celebrate our nation's 250^th year of independence on July 4 with a spectacular fireworks show at Riverbend Park located at 50 Montgomery St. in Oroville. Enjoy community activities throughout the day starting with Oroville's local farmers' markets and dining and shopping in downtown Oroville. Then gather at Riverbend Park starting at 5 p.m. for an evening featuring food vendors, entertainment, and fireworks. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. A patriotic pre-show program and national anthem will start at 9 p.m. followed by the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. The Oroville Chamber of Commerce's website has information about parking and free shuttle transportation to Riverbend Park so you can plan ahead.

DWR's Lake Oroville Visitor Center is also open for regular business hours on July 4 - open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staffed by knowledgeable guides, the Visitor Center features interpretive displays on Oroville Dam, area geology, wildlife and habitat, hydroelectric power, and cultural and historical artifacts. Visitors can watch 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. Free guided tours for school and community groups are available by reservation. Parking and admission to the Visitor Center are free.

Project Improving Campground and Boat Ramp

The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency is beginning construction on a project to improve the Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) Thermalito Afterbay Outlet campground and boat ramp facilities. The area is now closed to the public during construction. The $8 million project will expand and enhance public access and outdoor facilities along the Feather River near Oroville. Improvements will include a new concrete two-lane boat ramp, an improved gravel ramp for non-trailered boats, a 25-unit primitive campground, a day-use picnic area, new recreational trails, and paved parking with 47 trailered spaces and 31 single spaces. The improvement project is a collaboration with the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

The Thermalito Afterbay Outlet is a popular spot to launch and retrieve trailered and car-top boats and for Feather River access for shoreline fishing. River users are advised that access at this location is restricted during construction. Nearby alternate trailered boat ramps on the Feather River include Riverbend Park, Vance Avenue Boat Ramp, and Gridley. Car-top boat launches are available at the Feather River Fish Hatchery, Bedrock Park, Vance Avenue Outlet, and the Pacific Heights Weir Ramp. Feather River recreators are advised to use caution and plan a path of travel when floating past the Afterbay Outlet as river flows may vary.

Construction activities are expected to start in July, requiring the extended closure of the OWA Afterbay Outlet campground and boat ramp. R&R Horn of Chico is the contractor for the project with completion anticipated in spring or early summer of 2027.

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 June 27, 2026, are:

• Spring-run Chinook salmon: 8,261
• Steelhead: -22 (most likely kelts moving downstream)
• To see previous year data, visit CalFish.org.

Current Lake Operations

Lake Oroville is at 874 feet elevation and storage is approximately 3.05 million acre-feet (MAF), which is 89 percent of its total capacity and 114 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 7/2/2026.