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The Nimbus Hatchery in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, opened its salmon ladder on Wednesday signifying the start of the spawning season on the American River for the return of the fall run Chinook salmon. Ultimately eight state-run salmon and steelhead hatcheries will participate in the annual salmon spawning effort.
Within the next two months, three major state-run hatcheries in California’s Central Valley will harvest 24 million eggs to produce Chinook salmon for release next spring. The three hatcheries include Nimbus along with the Feather River Hatchery in Butte County and the Mokelumne River Hatchery in San Joaquin County.
Each of the hatcheries has an observation area where visitors can view the spawning process. Visitors can view the process of a female salmon digging a hole in gravel, with her tail, where she lays a few thousand eggs that will be fertilized by the male fish in optimum 58 degree water. This evolutionary process occurs each fall, when mature salmon change color, and return from the ocean to the spawning beds (or hatcheries) to reproduce. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) was responsible for opening the Nimbus Hatchery gates.
The state and federally operated hatcheries in California oversee the spawning and growth of some 40,000-juvenile salmon annually that are released into California lakes and streams. When the juvenile salmon reach two-to-four-inches in length, approximately 10,000 are tagged and implanted with wire-coded tags before release into California’s waters. Biologists with the CDFW analyze and use the data collected from the tagged salmon to monitor survival as well as catch and return rates. Tracking spawning rates and the outcomes of the Chinook Salmon were instituted some 50 years ago when fish losses became apparent due to the dams that block the salmon from their historic spawning habitats and the upstream migratory paths.
In addition to the viewing area, the visitors’ center at the Nimbus Hatchery also includes a playground with replicas of giant salmon for both the further education of youngsters as well as play time. Information about the spawning schedules and educational opportunities at each hatchery can be found at CDFW website at: www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/hatcheries.
The eight salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the state include Nimbus, Feather River, and Mokelumne hatcheries, along with Iron Gate Fish Hatchery, Mad River Fish Hatchery, Trinity River Hatchery, Warm Springs Fish Hatchery and Merced River Hatchery. Numerous other trout hatcheries are located throughout California.
