Nimbus Fish Hatchery, Gold River, California
N 38° 38.000 W 121° 13.440
10S E 654583 N 4277584
This hatchery is a major educational and environmental center. The Nimbus Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery was constructed to replace the salmon and steelhead runs that were blocked by Nimbus and Folsom dams constructed in 1958.
Waymark Code: WME26X
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/24/2012
Views: 9
At one time, the American River provided approximately 100 miles of stream in which salmon and steelhead could spawn and rear. When the Folsom-Nimbus project was completed in 1958, most of the spawning and rearing areas were cut off. Nimbus Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery was constructed to replace the salmon and steelhead runs that were blocked by Nimbus and Folsom dams.
Annual DFG counts of salmon spawning in the American River provided justification for construction of this hatchery.
In cooperation with the DFG and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation designed and built the hatchery, and currently pays the DFG to operate and maintain it.
The presence of this hatchery is an example of the multiple-use concept of water resource development.
Visitor Center open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Saturdays/Sundays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Closed Christmas Day
Opening time may vary during spawning season
Raceways (fish rearing ponds) open daily 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Call for more information
Phone Number: (916) 358-2884
Address: 2001 Nimbus Road, Suite F, Gold River, CA 95670
Directions: Off Highway 50, 18 miles east of Sacramento. Travel north on Hazel Ave. 0.7 mile, make a left hand turn at Gold Country Blvd. Travel 200 yards to the parking lot entrance on the right.
For more information see the California Dept. of Fish and Game (
visit link) .
This location is also the site of the American River at Nimbus Earth Cache (GC1674E).
It is one of the most remarkable places I've ever visited. If you go during spawning season you'll see the full process of the salmon run, where salmon navigate up the fish later and workers harvest the eggs for spawning. That time of year (late Winter) sees busloads of school children and tourists visiting the educational center learning about the process.