Water Resources Department Updates Feather River Hatchery Salmon Spawning

In a press release, the California Department of Water Resources said the state continues to monitor spwaning trends for fall-run Chinook salmon amid low returns and another year without salmon fishing. Here’s more from an update on Lake Oroville:

Salmon Spawning Operations

DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) continue spawning activities for fall-run Chinook salmon at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville. As part of their 2- to 5-year lifecycle, fall-run Chinook salmon traditionally migrate from the Feather River to the ocean, and return to the Feather River to spawn. Fall-run start returning as early as July and continue through November. Many make their way to the Hatchery, where DWR and CDFW staff process salmon by collecting, fertilizing, incubating their eggs, then raising and releasing fish.   

With lingering drought impacts to California Chinook salmon populations, DWR and CDFW have significantly increased Chinook salmon egg collection by several million to boost populations not only in the Feather River, but also in the Central Valley. Chinook salmon raised at the Feather River Fish Hatchery will later be released in the Feather River and San Francisco Bays to support inland and ocean fisheries. In addition, DWR and CDFW continue thiamine treatments to combat B1 vitamin deficiencies. This treatment improves the health of the fish, increasing the survival of Chinook salmon from egg to juvenile.