Progress Reports
Read in depth reports to see what the FRRA is accomplishing.
Water Control Manual Update Downstream Perspective
Presentation to the
Oroville Dam Citizens’ Advisory Commission (OCAC)
April 10th, 2026
At the April 10th OCAC meeting, the FRRA raised serious concerns about proposed updates to Oroville Dam’s operating rules, which continue to rely heavily on outdated policies developed decades ago. We believe today’s advanced weather forecasting, improved hydrology, and modern reservoir management tools provide an opportunity to safely store more water while still protecting downstream communities from flooding.
For years, outdated operating rules have contributed to unnecessary flood risks, particularly when heavy rainfall and snowmelt events were not fully accounted for in reservoir management decisions. The FRRA is urging state and federal agencies to modernize these rules now and adopt a more balanced, science-based approach. The decisions being made today could shape Oroville Dam operations for decades to come, making it critical that these policies reflect current technology, forecasting capabilities, and California’s evolving water needs.
Water Control Manual (WCM) Revisions
October 14th, 2025
For more than a year, a team of people living downstream, including a number of OCAC Commissioners, have been seeking information from the USACE, the DWR and the Forecast Informed Reservoir Operationon (FIRO) team about the existing 1970 WCM and the multi-year process that is underway to revise it. We have learned a lot about reservoir control, levees, the forecasting of precipitation and snowmelt and the estimation of snow and ground moisture content.
DWR Meeting
September 4th, 2025
The meeting was scheduled to address the unanswered stakeholders questions submitted in advance of the June 13th Oroville Citizen Advisory Commission. It focused on stakeholders concerns for the lack of adequate flood protection within the Yuba-Feather FIRO Final Report. A set of questions and supporting documents guided the discussion and another set of documents from Dam Safety covered a discussion on dam infrastructure. The Technical Presentation below provides background to the 500 year protection.
July 15th, 2025
An overview of topics was submitted on May 3, 2025 with questions and concerns to multiple agencies involved in DWR’s Oroville facilities and flood operations. Below are DWR’s responses to some of these topics, questions and concerns.
CW3E Responses To Questions
on June 16th, 2025
June 13th, 2025
Questions submitted to Marty Ralph - FIRO Viability Chairman
Submitted May 2nd 2025
Stakeholder questions and concerns over the Yuba-Feather Water Control Manual Update.
Yuba Feather Water Control
Manual Revision Project
August 22nd, 2024 the FRRA sent the USACE concerns with further questions and recommendations.
The FRRA expects the WCM revision project to go on for at least another year. It establishes the rules for the operation of the flood pool - the water held back for flood control during the rain season - for the next 50 years. The WCM is therefore critical for downstream safety. The existing ones have not worked very well. Updates to the Water Control Manual will be posted under this Progress Reports page.
Additional Questions in respect to Oroville Levee(October 28th 2024)
February 9th, 2024, the FRRA questioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) about Water Control Manual (WCM) revisions. April 9th, 2024, the USACE responded to our questions.
March 2024 Progress Report
Stakeholder Questions for Yuba-Feather Water Control