Lake Oroville
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| Lake Oroville | |
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| Location | Oroville, Northern California |
| Coordinates | 39°33′N 121°27′W / 39.55°N 121.45°WCoordinates: 39°33′N 121°27′W / 39.55°N 121.45°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Feather River |
| Primary outflows | Feather River |
| Catchment area | Sacramento River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 15,810 acres (6,400 ha) |
| Water volume | 3,537,580 acre·ft (4.36354 km3) maximum |
| Shore length1 | 167 mi (269 km) |
| Surface elevation | 900 ft (270 m) |
| Islands | Bloomer Island, Foreman Island |
| Settlements | Oroville |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Oroville is a large man-made reservoir created by Oroville Dam in central Northern California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
It is located east (and upriver) of the city of Oroville, California in Butte County. The lake has a capacity of 3,537,580 acre feet (4.36 km³) and is created by the Oroville Dam on the Feather River, only a mile (2 km) downstream of the meeting of the North, Middle and South forks. Completed in 1968, Oroville Dam is the tallest earthen dam located in the United States, measuring over 770 feet (235 m) high and 6,920 feet (2109 m) across. At the time, it was the largest earth-fill dam in the world, but was soon exceeded by Aswan High Dam in Egypt. It was built by the California Department of Water Resources as part of the California State Water Project. The lake supplies water that is transported to the San Francisco Bay Area and southern portions of the state.
The dam houses the "Edward Hyatt Powerplant", an underground hydro-electric plant that was completed in 1967.[1] Six generators are used to provide a maximum generating capacity of 819 mVA. The facility was named for Edward Hyatt, who was State Engineer (1927-1950) of the Division of Water Resources under the Department of Public Works.
The South Forebay of the lake is used by speed boats, personal water craft and hydroplanes. The North Forebay is reserved for non-motorized use only, such as sailing and windsurfing. The lake is a popular bass fishing destination, hosting several fishing tournaments each year.[2]
[edit] External links
- California Department of Water Resources
- Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Department of Water Resources State Water Project, Oroville overview
[edit] References
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