A major tributary to the Eel River, the Van Duzen River about 63 miles long, draining approximately 429 square miles throughly mostly Humboldt County. From its headwaters on the North Coast Range, it reaches its confluence with the Eel River near Fortuna, California.
Threats
The primary land use in the watershed is timberland, and road construction, poor historical logging practices, and gravel mining at the confluence of the Van Duzen has increased erosion, affected channel alignment and resulted in blocked migration for fall Chinook salmon.