There are six subregions of the Sacramento River Watershed:

1. Northeast Subregion

2. Eastside Subregion

3. Sacramento Valley Subregion

4. Westside Subregion

5. Feather River Subregion

6. 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:

1. 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.

2. Butte Creek - Butte Creek supports the largest run of wild Chinook Salmon in California. The watershed is ~510,000 acres, with the creeks headwaters in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and mouth at the Sacramento River.

3. and 4. 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 managment of Lake Oroville.

5. Sacramento Valley Subregion - 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 is meandering channel and wide riparian area, is dammed and limited by urban and agriculture uses along its banks.  The river is exported hundreds of miles south to provide water for central and southern California.