When the Oroville Dam was constructed by the Department of Water Resources,
a portion of the spawning and nursery grounds along the Feather River was
lost to salmon and steelhead trout returning to their home stream to
deposit eggs.
To compensate for this loss, the Feather River Salmon and Steelhead Trout
Hatchery was opened in 1967. This is one of California's largest hatcheries
and the only one jointly operated by the Department of Water Resources and
the Department of Fish and Game.
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This location is the barrier dam built along the river.
The dam blocks fish from swimming upstream so they will turn and enter the
concrete fish ladder to the left of the dam. Water flows down the ladder from the hatchery.
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| The flow of Feather River water imitates the current in the river. Fish
returning here to spawn are attracted by this current and instinctively
swim up the ladder.
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 | This is tour stop: 1
Click the tram to see an underground view of fish swimming
up the fish ladder.
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