Abstract
Rivers of this chapter cover ∼16° latitude along the Pacific coast from Canada to southern California. Detailed descriptions of six rivers are added to those described in the first edition of Rivers of North America: the highly glaciated Skagit River basin in Washington, the rugged Umpqua River basin of Oregon, the Eel River basin with its redwood forests and wild and scenic reaches, the Russian River basin with its famous vineyards, and two arid basins (Santa Ana and Santa Margarita) of urbanized southern California. All are characterized by highest precipitation in winter and lowest in summer but amounts vary with latitude. Winter flooding and summer droughts often create extreme environmental conditions for its organisms. Many rivers were once famous for incredible runs of migratory fishes, but human impacts have devastated most populations. Furthermore, the relatively low diversity of native freshwater fishes has often been overwhelmed by introductions of nonnative species.
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