Steelhead from Reclamation’s Nimbus Fish Hatchery released into American River

Media Contact: Mary Lee Knecht, 916-978-5100, mknecht@usbr.gov

For Release: February 19, 2021

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife releasing steelhead trout from the Nimbus Fish Hatchery into the Lower American River.FOLSOM, Calif. – In partnership with Reclamation, approximately 440,500 steelhead trout from the Nimbus Fish Hatchery were released into the Lower American River by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from Feb. 10-12.

“Reclamation is appreciative of our partnership with CDFW to operate our Nimbus Fish Hatchery on the Lower American River," said Drew Lessard, Central California area office manager. “Despite the challenges we faced from the pandemic, CDFW was still able to fulfill the production goals for the steelhead trout this year.”

The fish were hatched in 2020 and are around 10 inches long and marked with an adipose-fin clip. Fin-clipping is done to ensure hatchery-raised fish are properly identified as such to anglers, as well as fisheries biologists.

CDFW spawns and releases steelhead trout at Nimbus Fish Hatchery and releases them at various locations under a federal financial agreement with Reclamation. This requirement was established in the 1950s by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as mitigation for Reclamation’s construction of Folsom and Nimbus dams on the Lower American River.

Email Sarah Perrin at sperrin@usbr.gov for more information or call at 916-537-7063 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Learn more about the Nimbus Fish Hatchery at Nimbus Fish Hatchery (ca.gov).

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.