Oroville Flood Risk Reduction Project

SBFCA is entering the second year of construction of the Oroville Wildlife Area Flood Stage Reduction (FSR) Project, which is located between the Thermalito Afterbay and State Route (SR) 70 in Butte County. The OWA FSR Project is a multi-benefit project featuring flood control, ecosystem restoration and recreation improvements. When high flows occur in the Feather River, water is diverted from the main channel into the OWA via an existing system of inflow and outflow weirs. The OWA FSR Project will augment the existing system of inflow and outflow weirs to safely divert additional floodwaters through the OWA and reduce flood stages within the main channel. The improvements will reduce flood stages, improve State Water Project operations, reconnect the Feather River to its historic floodplain, provide more frequently inundated floodplain rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids, and improve drainage and fish stranding conditions. The project also incorporates invasive species removal, new riparian restoration plantings, and construction of new recreational footbridges and grading work to provide improved river access, public parking, and site access improvements. Work is expected to be completed in 2019.

Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for Oroville Wildlife Area Flood Stage Reduction Project Released for Public Review

The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency (SBFCA) has released an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) Flood Stage Reduction Project for 30-day public review. The proposed project would improve the connectivity of the Feather River to its historic floodplain, reduce flood stages within the main channel, provide more frequently inundated floodplain habitat for fish, reduce invasive plant species, and plan for future habitat restoration in the OWA through vegetation management and restoration, hydraulic improvements, and recreation enhancement. The proposed project is located in Butte County, in the D-Unit of the OWA. The project area is approximately 1,500 acres located on the west side State Route (SR) 70 across the Feather River from the Thermalito Afterbay outlet.

Vegetation management and restoration would include removal of invasive plant species and installation of riparian plantings. Hydraulic improvements would include new construction, replacement of existing hydraulic features, rock fill placement, and grading activities to improve connectivity to floodplain. Recreation features would include regrading of parking areas and river access areas, pouring a new concrete pad for the existing portable restrooms, and construction of an emergency vehicle/footbridge channel crossing and two footbridge channel crossings.

The IS/MND describes and evaluates the environmental impacts of the proposed project on existing environmental resources, and identifies mitigation measures to avoid or reduce any potentially significant impacts to a less-than-significant level. SBFCA will consider the findings of this initial study in determining whether preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR) is necessary prior to implementation of the proposed project.

The 30-day public review period ended June 25, 2016. Links to the Draft IS/MND are below.