WARM SPRINGS FISH HATCHERY, Geyserville, CA: Giving Young Salmon and Steelhead Trout a Head Start

Young steelhead trout at Warm Spring Fish Hatchery.

On a sunny day in late December, I went with my family on a day trip from Oakland to visit the Warm Springs Hatchery, about a ninety-minute drive north of the Bay Area, near Healdsburg. 

Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley.

After leaving the 101 Freeway we made our way along the Dry Creek Valley road past acres of vineyards and small farms until we came to the sign for the Lake Sonoma State Park and Visitor Center.

Visitor Center, Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, also known as the Don Claussen Fish Hatchery.

Every year in late fall, steelhead trout and Coho Salmon begin to arrive at the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, located below the Sonoma Lake dam in the foothills near Geyserville, California. There the fish are counted and measured and sorted. Some are kept for spawning at the hatchery--the fertilized eggs incubated until they hatch and then raised until the young fish are big enough to release.

Life-size cloth models of steelhead trout at the Visitor Center.

We had arranged to meet docent Linda Clapp at the Visitor Center for a personal tour of the hatchery. (The Visitor Center is open every day and the grounds open to the public. You don’t need an appointment.) Linda, had been the park ranger in charge of education for many years, is now retired, and continues to work at the hatchery as a volunteer. She was a fount of information.

Sonoma Lake Dam. The earthen dam was built in 1983 by the Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding of the Dry Creek Valley.

After a brief introduction, Linda took us to an overlook at the base of the Sonoma Lake dam. At the bottom of the dam water rushes out into Dry Creek and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean. Young steelhead trout and Coho Salmon raised at the hatchery are released in the creek. They follow the creek to the ocean, spend several years at sea, and then return to mate and lay eggs. (They use their sense of smell to find their way home.)

Fish returning to spawn are guided toward a tunnel on the left side of the dam that leads to a fish ladder and channel into the hatchery. We looked over the railing above the fish ladder hoping to see some leaping fish, but didn’t spot any. At the top of the fish ladder is a quiet pond where the fish can rest before continuing to the hatchery. 

Sorting fish in the spawning area.

Fish returning to the hatchery are kept in holding pens before the daily counting. We had timed our visit so that we could watch (from above) hatchery workers processing the fish--identifying each fish by its species, sex, age, and size. At the same time a small sample was taken from each fish for genetic monitoring. While one worker handled the fish, another recorded the data.

Steelhead trout being transferred to a truck for release.

Coho Salmon.

Our next stop was outside, to view the long tanks holding thousands of young fish from the previous year’s spawning. After hatching, the fish stay at the hatchery for about a year before being transferred to the wild. Growing about a half an inch a month, they are about six inches long when they are released. Fencing around the raceways prevents birds and other natural predators from helping themselves to the fish. We spotted egrets, green herons and other birds in the park around the hatchery.

9 month old steelhead trout in aquarium at Visitor Center.

At the end of our tour we explored the excellent Visitor Center, filled with displays about the fish and their part of the natural environment.

View of Lake Sonoma.

Our final excursion was a one mile drive up the road to the Sonoma Lake overlook where we got a spectacular view of the lake and surrounding hills. We’ll have to go back another day to try out the various hiking trails.

On our way home to Oakland we stopped for lunch at the Dry Creek General Store where we got delicious freshly made sandwiches, which we ate at a picnic table outside. Above us dozens of hummingbirds flocked around feeders, sipping the sweet juice. It was the perfect ending to an enjoyable and educational day.