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| Feather River Fish Hatchery - Site # 299 | |||
| Located on a scenic stretch of the Feather River just below Oroville Dam, this hatchery offers stunning scenery, an underwater window view of fish using the fish ladder, close-up views of Chinook salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing, and opportunities to see fish spawn naturally in the river gravels below the hatchery. The hatchery handles 30 million eggs, 15 million fingerlings, and 17,000 adult salmon and steelhead annually. Approximately 20 percent of the ocean sport and commercial catch originates here. | |||
| Background: | Throughout the years, many attempts have been made to artificially spawn salmon, shad and trout in the Feather River and its drainages. Prior to construction of the Oroville Dam, most of these historic fish hatcheries were located on the Eastern side of the mountain range, approx. 100 miles northeast of the current site of Feather River Hatchery. Feather River Hatchery 1924 - 1953 Built in 1924, a 60 trough hatchery building and employee cabins were built. Situated four miles from Clio in Plumas County, on the Western Pacific Railroad, the hatchery operated for nearly 30 years. In 1953 the hatchery work was abandoned, considered outdated. From here, there is a 14 year gap in hatchery work on the Feather River. Feather River Fish Hatchery - Present Feather River Fish Hatchery 1967 - present In 1961 the Department of Water Resources began to build the Oroville Dam. This massive rock fill project altered the flow of the Feather River, and to compensate the DWR worked with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to build a hatchery. Average runs of 51,000 fish a year return to this hatchery. | ||
| Wildlife and Where to Find It: | The adjacent river offers views of waterfowl, wading birds, songbirds, birds of prey, and small mammals. | ||
| Viewing Tips: | Salmon spawning mid-September to November. Steelhead spawning late November to February 1. Rearing activities February 1 to August 1. Interpretive panels. | ||
| Site Notes: | The Feather River Fish Hatchery is divided into 2 sections. The fish barrier dam, observation platform and underwater viewing are located on the east side of Table Mountain Boulevard. The underwater viewing windows are best for viewing fish from mid-September through June. The spawning room, hatchery and rearing ponds are located on the west side of Table Mountain Boulevard. Salmon spawning operations can be observed Monday through Friday beginning mid-September until mid-November. Steelhead spawning can be observed mid-December through mid-February. Fish are present in the rearing ponds all year. The annual Oroville Salmon Festival is held on the 4th Saturday of September at the Feather River Fish Hatchery and downtown Oroville. | ||
| Nearby Viewing Sites: | Table Mountain Ecological Reserve South Forbay Oroville Diversion Pool Oroville Wildlife Area | ||
| Festivals & Events: | Oroville Salmon Festival is the fourth Saturday in September. | ||
| Visitor Information: | Explore Butte County - (530) 918-4585 - https://www.explorebuttecounty.com/places/feather-river-fish-hat | ||
| Viewing Site Hours of Operation are: | |||
| Staff On-site: | Yes | ||
| Open: | |||
| Hours: | |||
| Year Round: | Yes | ||
| Road Information: |  Paved. | ||
| Road Hazards: | |||
 Number of Parking Spaces: 0 | |||
| Parking Fee: No | |||
| Proximity to viewing area: | |||
 Pull-Through Parking: Yes | |||
| Parking Notes: | |||
| How to Get There: | From Highway 70, take the Grand Avenue / Nelson Avenue exit. Continue east on Grand Avenue. Make a right turn onto Table Mountain Boulevard and continue S/B down the hill toward the river. The entrances to the hatchery are just before you cross over the river. | ||
| Contact Information | |||
| Managing Agency: | California Department of Fish & Wildlife | ||
| Agency Site URL: | https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Hatcheries/Feather-River | ||
| Physical Address: | 5 Table Mountain Blvd Oroville, CA 95965 |
Agency 2: | 5 Table Mountian Blvd. Oroville, CA 95965 |
| Manager Phone: | (530) 538-2222 | Contact Us: | by Email |
| Site Phone: | 530-538-2222 | ||
| County: | |||
| Addition Website: | |||