Lake Oroville

Lake Oroville is the reservoir formed by Oroville Dam on the Feather River in California, United States, located at latitude 39.53711 and longitude -121.4833. It is a major man-made lake serving multiple water management purposes in the state.

As a well-known regional landmark and one of California’s largest reservoirs, the lake attracts anglers, boaters, and campers; it has several boat ramps and developed recreation areas maintained by state and local agencies. Scenic viewpoints and access roads around the reservoir provide elevated views of the water and surrounding foothills.

Oroville Reservoir was created when Oroville Dam was completed in 1968; the project was built for water storage, hydroelectric power, flood control, and recreational use. The dam’s structural height is 770 feet, and the site has been the focus of major maintenance and emergency work, notably after spillway damage in 2017.

The lake is in Butte County in northern California, northeast of the city of Oroville and roughly 70 miles north of Sacramento by road. Surrounding landscape is a mix of foothills, oak woodland, and managed recreation areas.

• Oroville Dam height: The dam that forms the lake is 770 feet (235 meters) tall, making it the tallest dam in the United States by structural height.
• Construction date: Completed in 1968, the impoundment created a large reservoir used for water supply, hydroelectricity, flood control, and recreation.