There are six subregions of the Sacramento River Watershed:
- Northeast Subregion
- Eastside Subregion
- Sacramento Valley Subregion
- Westside Subregion
- Feather River Subregion
- American River Subregion
All of Butte County’s watersheds are located within the Eastside and Feather River subregions. There are five watersheds that lie within Butte County boundaries:
- Big Chico Creek – Big Chico Creek begins its 45 mile journey from a series of springs on Colby Mountain, at the interface between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Cascade Mountains. Big Chico Creek flows through Bidwell Park and the City of Chico before meeting up with the Sacramento River.
- Butte Creek – Butte Creek supports one of the largest runs of wild spring-run Chinook Salmon in California’s Central Valley. The watershed is ~510,000 acres, with the creek’s headwaters in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and mouth at the Sacramento River.
- Upper Feather River and Lower Feather River – The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River. The river has many dams and is the main source of water in the State Water Project through the creation and management of Lake Oroville.
- Sacramento River Watershed – The Sacramento River is the largest river in California, originating near Mount Shasta, flowing about 450 miles, and meeting the ocean under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Sacramento, which once supported a rich wildlife population within its meandering channel and wide riparian area, is dammed and limited by urban and agricultural uses along its banks. The river is exported hundreds of miles south to provide water for central and southern California.