The Department of Water Resources is working to manage water levels at Lake Oroville to prevent potential flooding. Currently, more water is flowing into the lake than out, but the DWR has been taking steps to keep the lake at a safe and manageable level. This increase is due to the release of water from the main spillway, which was initiated for flood control. The DWR had already increased water releases to the Feather River from the Oroville Thermalito Complex to help protect downstream communities from flooding. According to the DWR , the department is required to operate Lake Oroville for flood control between October and April, under federal guidelines set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These measures are in place to capture rainfall and future snowmelt while protecting the safety of downstream communities.