The Wild & Scenic Eel River

Eel River Map
Eel River NorthFork

North Fork

Starting in the south end of the Hettenshaw Valley, the North Fork tributary drains 286 square miles, is 35 miles long, and flows only in Trinity County.
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Eel River MiddleFork

Middle Fork

The Middle Fork is the Eel’s largest tributary. It rises in the Yolla Bolly Mountains in Trinity County. After being joined by Black Butte River, which flows from the north side of Hull Mountain in Mendocino County and joins the Middle Fork just east of Covelo in Round Valley, this fork travels 70 miles to the west through some of the most rugged wilderness in the state, draining 753 square miles. It joins the mainstem Eel at Dos Rios, the popular put-in place for rafters and kayakers making the four-day run through the famous Eel River canyon to Alderpoint.
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Eel River VanDuzen

Van Duzen River

The Van Duzen River tributary starts in the northern end of the Hettenshaw Valley, entering the Mainstem Eel just south of Fortuna in Humboldt County and covers 420 square miles.
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Eel River SouthFork

South Fork

The South Fork is the only major tributary that joins the mainstem from the west. The South Fork begins in Mendocino County south of Laytonville traveling west before heading almost due north, through ancient redwood forests, for a total of 105 miles, draining 689 square miles, joining the Mainstem just south of Pepperwood. It is along this tributary that highway 101 travels.
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Eel River Mainstem

Mainstem

The mainstem Eel River runs nearly 200 miles from the mouth to the headwaters behind the Potter Valley Project in Mendocino National Forest. The mainstem runs through a great diversity of landscapes, starting with the 7 square mile estuary just south of Humboldt Bay. Traveling southeast through agricultural lands, the mainstem eventually reaches the towering redwood forests before turning farther east to the remote and wild Eel River canyon. About 160 miles upstream is the Potter Valley Project, which blocks migratory fish access to about 10% of the watershed. Once the dams are removed, the Eel will be the longest free-flowing river in California.
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Hover over the major forks of the river to learn more about each one

Eel River Animated Map

Mainstem

The mainstem Eel River runs nearly 200 miles from the mouth to the headwaters behind the Potter Valley Project in Mendocino National Forest. The mainstem runs through a great diversity of landscapes, starting with the 7 square mile estuary just south of Humboldt Bay. Traveling southeast through agricultural lands, the mainstem eventually reaches the towering redwood forests before turning farther east to the remote and wild Eel River canyon. About 160 miles upstream is the Potter Valley Project, which blocks migratory fish access to about 10% of the watershed. Once the dams are removed, the Eel will be the longest free-flowing river in California.

North Fork

Starting in the south end of the Hettenshaw Valley, the North Fork tributary drains 286 square miles, is 35 miles long, and flows only in Trinity County.

Middle Fork

The Middle Fork is the Eel’s largest tributary. It rises in the Yolla Bolly Mountains in Trinity County. After being joined by Black Butte River, which flows from the north side of Hull Mountain in Mendocino County and joins the Middle Fork just east of Covelo in Round Valley, this fork travels 70 miles to the west through some of the most rugged wilderness in the state, draining 753 square miles. It joins the mainstem Eel at Dos Rios, the popular put-in place for rafters and kayakers making the four-day run through the famous Eel River canyon to Alderpoint.

Van Duzen

The Van Duzen River tributary starts in the northern end of the Hettenshaw Valley, entering the Mainstem Eel just south of Fortuna in Humboldt County and covers 420 square miles.

South Fork

The South Fork is the only major tributary that joins the mainstem from the west. The South Fork begins in Mendocino County south of Laytonville traveling west before heading almost due north, through ancient redwood forests, for a total of 105 miles, draining 689 square miles, joining the Mainstem just south of Pepperwood. It is along this tributary that highway 101 travels.

The Wild & Scenic Eel River

The Eel River watershed drains 3,684 square miles of California’s rugged North Coast eco-region. This magnificent river system includes not only the south, middle, north, and main stem forks of the Eel but also the Van Duzen River. The Eel River has both State (1972) and Federal (1981) Wild and Scenic River designations, which protect more than 350 miles of its waterways from additional damming and ensure that environmental concerns rank at least equally with development and industry.  Learn more about the Federal Wild & Scenic designation here.

Despite these protections, exploitation of Eel River water, as well as habitat destruction, continues. Two dams block fish passage entirely for about one-tenth of the watershed and divert a seasonally significant amount of water to the Russian River. Poor land use practices exacerbate the problem to the point of crisis. Without concerted action to remedy these threats, Eel River salmon and steelhead populations could go extinct.

Classification/Mileage

  • Wild — 97.0 miles
  • Scenic — 28.0 miles
  • Recreational — 273.0 miles
Eel River Ecology

Eel River Ecology

Eel River in California, a habitat for unique species like Pacific Lamprey and threatened salmonids, is crucial for biodiversity. It faces significant environmental issues, including harmful algal blooms and habitat loss, highlighting urgent conservation efforts.

Learn about the eel river ecology

Eel River Ecology

Fish Count Data

Monitoring fish counts at locations such as Van Arsdale Reservoir is crucial. It provides valuable data on species migration patterns, evaluates the ecological impacts of dams, and informs conservation strategies for restoring habitats and ensuring the survival of fish populations.

See the latest fish count data

Eel River Ecology

Recreation

The Eel River, with its pristine waters, provides a wide range of recreational activities including kayaking, fishing, refreshing swimming spots, hiking trails, camping in serene locations, and wildlife viewing, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.

Eel watershed recreation resources

Recent History of the Eel River

Friends of the Eel River celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2015 and created this brief timeline to reflect on the history of the Eel River.

Hover over the image or click to enlarge it.

Eel River Ecology and Significant Species

The spectacular Eel River provides habitat for a variety of species, including the Pacific Lamprey which earned the river one of its many names. Scroll down to learn about several significant Eel River species and their listing status.

The Eel River is the third largest entirely in California and has the highest recorded average suspended sediment yield per drainage area of any river of its size in the United States.

Click here to see research on steelhead distribution in the Eel River watershed, including an interactive map showing the historical presence of steelhead.

Harmful Algal Blooms

A large number of environmental factors lead to bloom increases and toxin production. These include climate change, nutrient over-enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus), higher temperatures, salinity, water residence time (stagnation), vertical lake stratification, organic matter enrichment, and high pH (more alkaline). Learn more about or report algal blooms: California Water Quality Monitoring Council.

Freshwater Fishing Regulations
(scroll to page 41 for Eel River-specific regulations)

 

California Coastal Chinook

  • Most plentiful of the remaining salmonid species in the Eel River
  • 3 – 5 year life cycle
  • Listed as Threatened under Federal ESA
Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Saltwater

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Female

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Male

Southern Oregon/Northern California Coho (SONCC)

  • Coho in South Fork Eel River are a “critical population”, emphasizing their necessity for recovery of Coho in the entire region
  • 3-year life cycle
  • Listed as Threatened under California and Federal ESA
Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Saltwater

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Female

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Male

Northern California Steelhead

  • There are two Evolutionary Significant Units (ESUs) in Eel River – Summer & Winter varieties.
  • Sexually mature at 2 – 3 yrs, may spawn multiple times in life
  • Listed as Threatened under Federal ESA

Northern California Summer Steelhead

  • Listed as Endangered under California ESA
Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Saltwater

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Female

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Spawning Male

Pacific Lamprey

Pacific Lamprey are one of the oldest fish species, relatively unchanged for 360 million years. These ancient fish have 8X the fat content/weight and 20% more protein than salmon. Thus, they are a significant part of historic indigenous diets. When Lamprey disappear from the ecosystem, salmon are impacted both by the loss of a food source and by greater predation from other animals. Learn more about the Pacific Lamprey from the Wiyot Tribe’s Natural Resources Department.

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater

Green Sturgeon

Green Sturgeon in the Eel River are not protected, however their population is near extirpation. They historically relied on deep pools throughout the river, holes which have now been filled in by several major floods and high levels of sediment running off the geologically fragile hills. Learn more about Green Sturgeon from the Wiyot Tribe’s Natural Resources Department.

Chinook Salmon - Saltwater
anatomy of a river 1024x736 1

Fish Count

Eel River Fish Count Station at Van Arsdale Reservoir

Cape Horn Dam

Cape Horn dam impounds the river to form Van Arsdale Reservoir. It is located downstream from Scott dam, is the smaller of the two dams, and has a fish ladder.

Please note that all data for the 2024-2025 season are considered preliminary and have not been quality assured/controlled by PG&E.

2024 – 2025 Migration Season

Jan. 13 – 19, 2025

42 adult steelhead (female 17, male 16, unknown adult 9) were observed moving upstream through the fishway at Cape Horn Dam. Additionally, one subadult steelhead was observed moving upstream during this time frame. The season total for upstream migrating adult steelhead now stands at 90 (female 38, male 32, unknown adult 20). The season total for subadult steelhead (<40cm) now stands at 24.

During this same time frame, no Chinook salmon were observed. The season total for upstream migrating Chinook salmon still stands at 893 (female 320, male 309, unknown adult 94, jack 170).

Andrew Anderson | PG&E Sr. Aquatic Biologist

Van Arsdale reservoir is created by Cape Horn Dam, the first of the two Potter Valley Project dams. The fish counting station here is the oldest in California, and the fish ladder is the longest in the state. Cape Horn Dam was completed in 1908, but the fish ladder and counting station weren’t built until 1922 as part of the licensing for Scott Dam.

The Van Arsdale fish ladder causes “take” of listed species, a violation of the Endangered Species Act. It is often clogged with debris during high flow events, leaves fish vulnerable to predation, and is not designed for the variety of migratory aquatic species that need to pass the dam. Scott and Cape Horn dams block access to hundreds of miles of prime spawning and rearing habitat, and importantly to cold water refugia especially important for summer steelhead.

Removing the dams and allowing the Eel’s native fish to return to its headwaters is the single best recovery action we can take to recover fisheries and restore ecological function throughout the Eel River watershed. As PG&E prepares their license surrender application and decommissioning plan, it is important that Eel River advocates keep up pressure for full dam removal to ensure that the Eel’s wild, native fish have the opportunity for recovery.

Read Dr. Yoshiyama & Moyle’s Historical Review of Eel River Anadromous Salmonids, 2010

Steelhead Count

As of January 19, the season total for upstream migrating adult steelhead stands at 90 (female 38, male 32, unknown adult 20). The season total for subadult steelhead (<40cm) now stands at 24.

Date Range Female Male Unknown Subadult Total
1/13 – 1/19 17 16 9 1 43
1/6 – 1/12 4 7 3 3 17
12/30 – 1/5 4 0 1 5 10
12/23 – 12/29 0 3 3 5 11
12/16 – 12/22 8 3 3 6 20
12/9 – 12/15 2 2 1 4 9
12/2 – 12/8 3 1 0 0 4

 

Chinook Count

As of January 19, the season total for upstream migrating Chinook salmon stands at 893 (female 320, male 309, unknown adult 94, jack 170). No further official sightings have been made since 1/12/2025.

Date Range Female Male Unknown Jack Total
1/6 – 1/12 1 0 0 0 1
12/30 – 1/5 0 0 0 0 0
12/23 – 12/29 0 0 0 0 0
12/16 – 12/22 0 2 0 0 2
12/9 – 12/15 7 8 2 2 19
12/2 – 12/8 68 50 14 26 158
11/25 – 12/1 162 179 56 100 497
11/18 – 11/24 58 39 14 30 141
11/11 – 11/17 24 31 8 10 73
11/8 0 0 0 1 1
10/23 0 0 0 1 1

 

Recreation

The Eel River watershed has many opportunities for hiking, camping, kayaking, and more!

Check out this inspiring video of kayakers enjoying some whitewater on the Middle Fork Eel River.

If you’re an experienced paddler with your own gear, we highly recommend Dan Menten’s New School Guide to Northern California Whitewater.

If you’d prefer to have a guide, we recommend Liquid Fusion Kayaking, or AC Fly Fishing if you’re looking to play with some steelhead!

Kayaking-on-mainstem-below-Outlet-Creek_smaller

Liquid Fusion Kayaking’s Cate Hawthorne whitewater kayaking on the mainstem of the Eel River below Outlet Creek. | Photo by Mark Boyd

Disabled Hiker Guide
Fishing Regulations

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Contact Us

Membership forms and other printed material may be mailed to:

Friends of the Eel River
PO Box 4945
Arcata, CA 95518

Email: foer(at)eelriver.org

Phone: (707) 798-6345

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