Officials cite reduced funding as cause for temporary shutdown of key public features of facility
The Nimbus Fish Hatchery, a longtime regional hub for fish conservation and education along the American River, will close its visitor center, fish ponds and parking lot beginning July 1 due to budget constraints, officials announced Friday.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which operates the hatchery, shared the news in a statement posted to social media. The closure, they said, is due to “reductions in funding” and will remain in effect until further notice.
“We are working to reopen these facilities as soon as possible and regret the inconvenience,” the statement read.
Built in 1955 and located below Nimbus Dam in Gold River, the hatchery plays a vital role in sustaining salmon and steelhead populations. It was originally constructed to offset habitat losses caused by the development of the Folsom-Nimbus water project, which severely limited access to upstream spawning areas for anadromous fish.
The Nimbus Hatchery raises Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, releasing them into the American River annually. Its visitor center and adjacent fish ponds have long served as an educational destination for school groups and nature enthusiasts, especially during the fall spawning season.
The hatchery is the result of a cooperative effort among the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While CDFW operates and maintains the facility, funding is provided through the Bureau of Reclamation, which built the hatchery as part of a broader strategy to mitigate environmental impacts caused by Folsom and Nimbus Dams.
Prior to the dam projects, the American River offered approximately 100 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead. With those areas largely cut off, the hatchery was created as a mitigation effort to preserve the river’s once-thriving fish populations.
It remains unclear when the visitor center and other affected areas might reopen, though officials emphasized their intent to restore public access when funding becomes available.
More information about the hatchery and updates on its status can be found at wildlife.ca.gov.
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