Thermalito Afterbay reservoir
Thermalito Afterbay
Thermalito Afterbay is a man-made reservoir located in Butte County, California. It was constructed in the 1960s as a part of the Oroville-Thermalito Complex and was designed to provide a place to store and regulate water released from Oroville Dam. The afterbay has a capacity of 210,000 acre-feet and covers approximately 4,000 acres.
The hydrology of Thermalito Afterbay is influenced by both surface flow and snowpack. The reservoir receives water from the Feather River via the Feather River Diversion Pool, and from the Thermalito Diversion Dam. The afterbay also receives water from snowpack runoff during the spring and summer months.
The primary agricultural uses of Thermalito Afterbay are for irrigation and fish farming. The reservoir is also used for recreational purposes, such as fishing, boating, and swimming.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Thermalito Afterbay -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Butte C Nr Chico Ca | 320 cfs | → |
| Yuba R Nr Marysville Ca | 1,850 cfs | → |
| Deer C Nr Smartville Ca | 59 cfs | → |
| Sacramento R A Colusa Ca | 6,500 cfs | → |
| Sacramento R Bl Wilkins Slough Nr Grimes Ca | 5,290 cfs | → |
| Bear R Nr Wheatland Ca | 328 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thermalito Afterbay.
Boat launches
- Butte County
- Larkin Road Oroville
- Monument Hill Road, Oroville
- River Bluff Drive 39, Oroville
- Potters Ravine, Oroville
Campgrounds
- Bidwell Canyon - Lake Oroville State Rec Area
- Loafer Creek - Lake Oroville State Rec Area
- Live Oak Riverfront Park
- Limesaddle - Lake Oroville State Rec Area
- Collins Lake Rv Park & Campground
- Feather Falls
Fishing spots
- Thermalito Afterbay
- Oroville Lake
- Merle Collins Reservoir
- Butte Creek
- Englebright Lake
- Bullards Bar Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Highway 70 Crossing To Lake Oroville
- Nelsons Crossing To Confluence With Middle Fork Feather Wsr
- Poe Dam To Highway 70 Crossing
- Confluence With Jefferson Creek To Confluence With Kentucky Creek
- Bear Gulch To Confluence With Middle Fork Feather Wsr
- Cresta Dam To Poe Reservoir (Camp Creek)
Track Thermalito Afterbay in the Snoflo app
Save this reservoir as a favorite and set push alerts when storage crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me at 80% of normal").
About Thermalito Afterbay
Where does the data for Thermalito Afterbay come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Thermalito Afterbay.